


RGHILD'S 

apid ;Letterer 



::> H O W 



Z A R D 



A K E R 



CDMMERCJAL ALPiHABET CONSTRUCTION 

W I ■ r i 1 A I R' B R U S M , P E N AND 8 R U S H . 
COtOH MIXING, SI(3NS, IJNE ENaRAVING, ETC. 




Class . 
Book, 






CoipghtN" 



COPYRIGHT DEPosrr 



Copyright, Oct., 1910, by 
FAIRCHILD COMPANY 



FAIRCHILD'S 



RAPID LETTERER 

AND 

SHOW-CARD MAKER 



Commercial Alphabet Construction with Brush or Pen, 
Line Engraving and Air-brush Work. Color Mix- 
tures and Color Harmony. The Quickest 
Methods in Designing for Maga- 
zine and Newspaper 
Advertising, 
Etc. 



COMPILED BY SIDNEY HACKES. 



PUBLISHED BY 



FAIRCHILD COMPANY 

42 East 2 1 St St., NEW YORK 
Lees Building . CHICAGO 



INTRODUCTORY 







HIS book contains an elaborate, practical course of instruction for those 
who desire to learn rapid commercial or artistic lettering and details of 
show-card making, and is compiled by Sidney Hackes, who has made 
a special study of this art for 35 years. The book contains more 
original engravings than any correspondence school course offers for $25. The 
price, $2, brings it within easA' reach of all. 

Card writers earn from $1.t to $.50 a week, and although women have not 
as yet entered the field, they could readily do so by mastering the simpler methods 
of pen and brush work, for making price tickets, and smaller window cards. 

Boys and girls with the least inclination to art will find lettering an attractive 
pastime and it will teach them concentration through amusement. They may be 
poor scribes, but can develop into fine card writers. 

The one-stroke flat-brush series, which has recently been introduced through 
Fairchild's Magazines, lias enabled thousands of clerks to write show-cards and 
signs in one-quarter the time it takes for double-stroke methods. 

Storekeepers in any line of business could save much expense if they buy Fair- 
child's Letterer and place it at the disposal of enterprising clerks, who can soon 
master the art of ticket writing, and learn how to make their own advertising 
designs. The articles on engraving for advertising are practical demonstrations 
of money-saving methods in commercial advertising. 

Business colleges, trade schools, art schools, and libraries should have this book 
on file, as it contains only practical, authentic information. 

The lessons in color mi.xture, both water and oil; the charts on color harmony 
and color contrast for decorating purposes are extremely valuable and the result of 
many years of experience in tliis line. 



^ 



\ 



V^ 



©CI.A275711 



INDEX FAIRCHILD'S LETTERER 



Air Brush S4 

Air Brush Clothing Cards S9 

Air Brush Haberdashers' Cards S8 

Air Brush Price Ticl<ets S3. S6, S7 

Air Brush Scroll Panels 94, 95 

Apparel Gazette Initials 38 

Attractive Alphabet 25 

Awnings. Cleaning 13 

Awning Paint ^3 

Backgrounds for Spring Cards 25 

Ben Day Stipples S7 

Block Capitals IS 

Block Letters, How to Write 19 

Brass Ornaments 36 

Bristle Fitches 19 

Bronze Liquid 21 

Bronzing Ornaments •. 5S 

Bronzing Plaster or Wood IS 

Brush Scrolls 54, 5S. GO 

Cardboard SO 

Cardboard Frames ^ 

Clean Gold Edge Lines 3S 

Clearing Sale Signs 24 

Cleaning Window Glass 13 

Color Charts, How Used 94 

Color Contrasts— FairchiWs Harmony 

Charts 69 

Color Harmony 6C. 69 

Color Mixtures 6S 

Color Values in Photo Engraving 67 

Comic Show Cards 76. 77. 78. 79 

Corner Scrolls 56 

Cut-Outs SO 

Designs for Newspaper Headings 62 

Devos Capitals 23 

Devos Lower Case Letters 22 

Easel Show Cards 9 and 13 

Edge Lines on Gold Glass Lettering ss 

Edges S2 

Erasing Pencil Marks 9 

Eye-Catching Cards S8 

Everlasting Signs 46 

Fairchild's Color Harmony and Color Con- 
trasts for Interior Decoration 69 

Fairchild Script — Capitals 50 

Pairchild Script — Lower Case 48 

Fancy and Plain Paper 52 

Fancy Panels 56 

Final Scroll Practice 60 

First Lesson in Flat-Bnish Lettering 10 

Flat-Brush Edge Lines IS 

Flat Stroke Block Capitals 19 

Flat Stroke Numbers 14 

Flitter '■ 31 

Floral Price Tickets 30 

Flour Paste for Paper 13 

Flowered Cards 33 

Frosting Glass or Mirrors 13 

Fourth of July Cards 77 

Fundamental Flat-Brush Strokes 11 

Gilt Molding with Paper Signs 13 

Gold Lettering on Glass 38 

Half-Tone Photo Engraving 63 

Handy Easel 9 

Handy Ruler 19 

Harmonious Colorings 32 

Hat and Shoe Tickets, Plain or Beveled... S3 

Holding the Brush 11 

Holiday Precautions 20 

Holiday Price Tickets 43 

Holiday Signs 17 

Holly Border 97 

Holly Wreath 98 



Imitation Gems 56 

Imitation Red Seals 56 

Imitation Wood for Windows 94 

Imitation Wood Paper 76 

Interlaced Scrolled Panels 58 



Show Cards, Comic 

Show Card Flat Brush Text.. 

Show Card Pens 

Show Card Text, Lower Case. 



January Sales 



20 



Les.sons in Double-Stroke Lettering 34 

Lettering Brown Leather SO 

Lettering Designs. Collecting 94 

Lettering Designs for Newspaper Headings 63 

Lettering Dress Suit Cases 80 

Lettering on Canvas • 76 

Lettering Signs on Dry Muslin 76 

Lettering Trunks 80 

Line E'ngravings on Price Tickets SO 

Line Plioto Engraving 64 

Loading the Brush 11 

Lower Case Show Card Text 32 



Magazine Pictures, 



How Retailers Use 

70, 71. 72. 73, 74. 75 

JIaking Tickets at Small Cost 40 

Mat Cutting 8 

Mat Knife 8 

Men's Wear Initials 52 

Mixing Oil Colors 68 

Mixing Water Colors 68 

Novel Window Cards '. 27 

Oil Cloth Paint 34 

Oil Cloth Signs 19 

Oil Colors and Bronze Stenciling 98 

Oil Colors, Mixing 68 

Paint for Flat Brush Work 11 

Paints 13, 34, 61 

Panels, Fancy '56 

Paper for Practice 10 

Paper, Imitation Wood 76 

Paste 13 and 90 

Pen Lettered Cards 38. 39, 42, 45 

Pen Lettering 36 

Pens for LettCFing 38 

Pens for Ruling 38 

Permanent Gold Signs 35 

Photo-Engraving Design. Evolution of 63 

Plaster Ornaments HQ 

Plastic Ornamentations. Raised 90 

Practical Show Cards 8 

Preparing Oil Cloth 35 

Preparing White for Show Cards 27 

Price Cards or Tickets. Flowered 33 

Price Tickets 20, 21 

Price Tickets for Hats and Shoes 40, 41 

Price Tickets, Holiday 43 

Price Tickets, Line Engraving on SO 

Price Tickets, Plain or Beveled, for Hats 

and Shoes S2 

Price Tickets, Spring 20, 21 

Psychological Tickets 20 

Putty, How to Make 13 

Ribbonettes 56 

Rope Edging 82 

Ruler, Handy 19 

Ruling Edge Lines IS 

Ruling with Chalk 9 

Sable Brushes 10 

Scale D'rawings 50 

Script, Double Stroke. Low-er Case 44 

Script, Fairchild's Capital 50 

Script, Fairchild's Lower Case 18 

Script Scrolls 56 

Scroll Fi'et Work 50 

Scroll Panel Half-Tones 94 

Scrolls 54 

Second Lesson Flat-Stroke Lettering.... 14 

Shoe Tickets, Plain or Beveled 82 

Show Card Capitals 34 



7« 

30 

38 

32 

Show Card White 27 

Show Card Writers' Specialties 61 

Simple and Complicated Scroll Panels 60 

Simple Shading 28 

Single-Stroke Flat-Brush Caps 25 

Slanting Lower Case Flat Brush Letters. 14 

Small Stencils 48 

Spatula 27 

Sponge Rubber 15 

Spring Price Cards 33 

Spring Window Signs 28, 29 

Starting in Right 10 

Stencilins; Fabrics 98 

Stenciling Oil Colors and Bronze 98 

Stencil Pounce 52 

Stencils, Brass 97 

Stencils, Lead 97 

Stencils for Air Brush 96, 97, 98 

Stencils for Lettering and Designing, Etc. 96 

Stencils for Lettering 100 

Summer Cards Brush Lettering 33 

Systematic Laj'outs 36 

Trade Journals. How to Utilize 12 

Transferring Initials 52 

Unique Window Signs 25 

Utilizing Trade Journals — Utilizing Maga- 
zine Pictures 12 and 70 to 75 

Wall Papers. Utilizing Fancy 13 

Water Colors, Mixing 58 

Water Colors, Professional SS 

Water Gold 21 

Wet Weather Signs 19 

Window Cards for Fall 92, 93 

u'indow Cards, How Retailers Utilize 

Magazine Pictures 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 

Window Cards. Pen Lettered 42, 45 

Window Cards, Quaint 90, 91 

Window Device for Clearing Sales 23 

Wire Signs 50 

Wooden Script Signs 5{ 

Wooden Signs, Durable 52 

LETTERING LESSONS 

First Lesson in Flat-Brush Lettering. ... 10 

Fundamental Flat-Brush Strokes 11 

Flat Stroke Numbers 14 

Second Lesson Flat Stroke Lettering 14 

Slanting Lower Case Flat Stroke Letter.. 14 

Practice witli Wide Flat Brushes 16 

Wide Flat-Brush Lower Case Letters.... 16 

Block Capitals 18 

Flat Stroke Block Capitals 19 

Devos Letters 22 

Devos Capitals 23 

Attractive Alphabet 25 

Single Stroke Flat-Brush Capitals 26 

Simple Shading 2S 

Show Card Flat-Brush Text 30 , 

Lower Case Show Card Text 32 

Brus'a Letteiing, Summer Cards 33 

Lessons in Double-Stroke Lettering 34 

Show Card Capitals 34 

Systematic Layouts 36 

Pen Lettering 36, 38 

Script Lower Case 44 

Script Capitals 46 

Fairchild Script Lower Case 4S 

Fairchild Capitals 50 

"Men's Wear" Initials 52 

Brush Scrolls 54 

Corner Scrolls 56 

Script Flourislies 56 

Script Scrolls 56 

"Apparel Gazette" Initials 58 

Simple and Complicated Scroll Panels 60 




The Beginner Should Remember That If He Will Carefully Read Instructions, He Will Find Less Difficulty 
In Practice-Work. By Diligent Effort You Will Soon Be Able To Write Neat Signs— From FAIRCHILD'S. 



THERE is one feature of advertising tliat is somewtiat 
neglected by most storekeepers. We refer to a sys- 
tematic plan in the preparation of show-cards and 
price tickets. The window card excites curiosity and it has 
been demonstrated psychologically that a majority of tran- 
sients cannot resist its influence. Many a possible customer 
would pass a store if the window contained no show-card. 
The person who habitually looks into your show window often 
unconsciously and frequently unwillingly absorbs the state- 
ments written on your cards; in due time, however, he is 
sure to come to your store as a customer. 

The size of a card should depend upon its purpose, and 
it requires considerable experience and excellent judgment 
to properly direct this trade-getting gun so that it hits the 
target. It is our intention to offer suggestions which are 
practical and seasonable, so that the clerk or storekeeper 
who has the inclination can, with diligent practice, within a 
reasonable period, be able to quickly paint or write a neat, 
attractive card, for any purpose or emergency, in or about 
the store. The question of color, both of cards and ink or 
paint, depends entirely upon the class of trade you cater to, 
the location of the sign and the purpose or occasion. 

There is one positive and indisputable fact, that the ma- 
jority of high-class stores use white cards, lettered in black. 
Some of these firms occasionally use modest tones of color 
like olive-green, bronze-green, which is very dark, or various 
shades of brown and, as an unusual departure, any light tint 
of cardboard. A neat edge-line of gold is frequently used, and 
generally adds to its effectiveness, though it means much 
extra work. 

Several dealers, who cater to the best trade, use only 
light gray cards lettered in black, or Scotch gray lettered 
likewise. Others use the tan backgrounds lettered in white. 
It is noticeable that such cards are usually small (7x11 inches) 
eighths, or quarter sheets (11x14 inches). Inquiry among 
these store-managers brought forth the information that they 
believe larger white cards are too predominating to make a 
clothing display effective, as the big white card faces detract 
from the color values of any clothing or fabric exhibit. The 
writer thinks it a mistake to use white lettering on a light 
gray card for any winter exhibit. A dark gray or slate card, 
lettered in white, properly shaded either in gold or black, or 
both. Is very effective. Light gray color combinations should 
be used only for warm weather seasons. 



On the other hand, as the stores catering for the middle 
classes predominate, and as the color values appealing to this 
trade, whether in fabrics or cards, are usually of more intense 
tones, we would certainly advise these dealers to use colors, 
cautioning them not to use too many colors on one card. This 
is especially true where there is considerable lettering shown. 
A variety of colors is permissible only when the card con 
tains only a few display words and nothing else. Some re- 
tailers create the impression that they are selling show-cards 
instead of merchandise, and we are of the opinion that a 
more moderate use of the larger window cards would prove 
beneficial to the majority of clothiers and haberdashers; wares 
would be more closely scrutinized and sales would correspond- 
ingly increase. It is worth while to act upon this suggestion; 
suppose you try it, especially in the start of the season. 

For the more sensational cards, any kind of material, 
such as artificial flowers, colored papers, veneers, cloth or 
fabric, metal work, colors, plaster or embossed relief and pic- 
tures, culled from magazines or newspapers, can all be used 
to good advantage. These devices in the main save much 
unnecessary waste of time and are realistic if not highly ar- 
tistic. 

The card-writer who wants to be patted on the back be- 
cause he happens to make a neat copy-drawing, which takes 
him a few hours to execute, ought to be told to paste on an 
appropriate picture in five minutes and it may poGsibly look 
more artistic than the amateur's effort and prove less expen- 
sive. 

We will in due time illustrate some of these methods and 
those readers who are interested will eventually save their 
employers much unnecessary outlay, besides having the ad- 
vantage of showing something different from their immediate 
neighbors. In order to carry out these plans, we would sug- 
gest that, where available, some of the following material be 
gathered and safely laid away, in a box for future use. 
Acorns, with their caps on and separate caps, though acorns 
breed worms. All kinds of moss, some birch-bark or other 
bark; some maple, sumach and oak leaves, all sizes and colors 
These leaves should be placed a few between each page of 
newspapers, piled about four inches high; a flat card or board, 
on which some weighty object can be put, is then placed on 
top and left there about one month. The newspaper absorbs 
the moisture of the leaves, which will gradually become dry 



PAIECHILD'S KAPID LETTEEER 



and perfectly flat. Common furniture varnish, thinned with 
turpentine, can then be spread on some leaves and others left 
as they are. The leaves should be placed flat on a sheet of 
newspaper while varnishing, and left there till dry. 

How to Make Cardboard Frames — A Money-Saving 
Device. 

THE most popular sized show-card is a half sheet, size 14x22 
inches. A simple device is here shown, and many of our 
readers will probably wonder why they had not thought of 
it themselves. 

Papers of all colors and in imitation of oak, birch and 
veneers can be bought of dealers. A wooden pine frame 1% 
inches wide by % inch thick, is glued on the back of the 
card sheet, which should first be dampened on the side to 
which the frame will be glued with a cloth or sponge from 
which most of the water has been squeezed. The card should 
be placed face down and some heavy weights put across the 
frame and left there at least twelve hours. If you neglect to 
dampen the card it may not dry perfectly flat. 

Now cut strips of the imitation wood paper, three inches 
wide; place them wrong side up and apply paperhangers' paste 
carefully spread, or flour paste, mixed with a small quantity 




A CARDBOARD FRAME. 

of glue, thinned in water. Apply paste with a wide brush and 
paste the strips about two inches (not less) from the top 
edge, all around, flat on the top of card and the overhanging 
inch of the strip paste down on the wooden side-edge and any 
surplus onto the back of the frames. Smooth the paper thor- 
oughly by wiping over a rag with moderate pressure, so as 
to avoid blisters on the paper when dry. 

After this is thoroughly dry, with a mat-cutting knife cut 
out the card two inches from the outer edge. If you have no 
mat-cutter or the kind of knife shirt-cutters use, a very sharp, 
strong penknife will do. Your frame is then finished. 

Now cut your cards on which you want to letter the signs 
to fit into this frame, 19%xl0% inches. When the sign is 
dry It can easily be slipped into the frame and fastened with 
four pins or tacks lightly hammered into the wooden part, the 
same as you would fasten the back of a regular picture frame 

It is, of course, understood that you will make several of 
the frames at one time, keeping those you do not need at 
once for future use, always laying them flat, so that they will 
not warp. Now, then, you have accomplished a great saving, 
as these frames can be used for years, simply taking out the 
sign and in a minute replacing another. 

Thin cardboard, which costs just one-half, can be used 
with this device, thus obtaining another opportunity for less 
expenditure. By using various colored paper for each set of 
four to eight frames, they can be alternated, thus giving the 



window trim a new appearance. When the frames become 
soiled or worn, it is a very simple matter to paste over new 
paper. Gold and silver paper can also be used for the same 
purpose, although I would recommend the following method 



A Harvest 

o/FALL 

KoVELrTIES 



THE SIGN READY FOR INSERTION. 

in preference: With a bristle brush apply white shellac to 
the card front and frame edge; this dries quickly, but when it 
is nearly dry it becomes very "tacky," then apply the dry gold. 



^--j!JI«L.il.^!_. U. 



A Harvest 

o/ FALL 

NoVELrTIES 



'^ta 



^ 



THE SIGN COMPLETE. 

copper or aluminum powder, using a bristle brush called a "sash 
tool" or "flat fitch," which you can buy for 10 or 15 cents. 

The brush which you use for applying the shellac must 
be immediately washed out in alcohol or it will harden in a 
couple of hours so as to be utterly useless. By first spreading 
the bronze-powder freely over the surface, first laying the 
frame on a large sheet of paper so as to catch all of the 
surplus dry bronze for future use, then brushing the frame 
clear of all powder, your frames will seem to be made of 
metal. Another effective finish is to stain any frame dark 
brown or green, then with rapid "swipes" of a rag touch up 
various parts with copper bronze. 

Right here we wish to caution our readers that a dirty 
sign is a cancer in commerce. It is false economy for any 
merchant, no matter how small his store may be, to allow 
even one soiled card in his premises. Recently we inspected 
a large New Jersey store, where signs throughout the place 
were actually filthy with age, and where common strawboard 
in some instances was being used. The proprietor is grad- 
ually losing his trade, and cobwebs will soon cover his stock. 
If we may be permitted to add another parting shot to a 
class of transgressors, we will say that you merchants who 
allow a streaky sign in your window, just because it is nicely 
lettered, and the rain or window cleaner has damaged it, had 
better order your card-writer to make another at once, or buy 
a new card as soon as you can. Such signs are about as ill ap- 
pearing as a dress coat with a streak of eggyolk on the lapei. 



MAT CUTTING, 



MAT-CUTTING is a trade by itself and in the fancy 
cutting requires considerable practice and skill. It is 
not difficult, however, to use the cutting knife, after 
a little practice, and most card writers will readily be able to 
use it for the purposes which we will indicate if they will 
follow our instructions. The knife blades, as they are bought, 
are merely ground to an edge. You must whet them carefully 
on an oil-stone and continually do this after each few cutting 
strokes. By keeping the blades sharp, you can cut through 
cards three-eighths of an inch thick. The straight blade is 
used when the design has no curves. The other blade, which 
is rounded on both sides and has a cutting edge on each side, 
is used for curved lines, although most cutters use this knife 
for all purposes, including beveling. This knife will be used 
for cutting stencils, which will save us much time and expense 
ai we progress. 




THE HANDY MAT-KNIFE. 

There is always danger in handling a knife blade. We find 
the above is the most recent invention and can be handled 
with the least risk. 

Either of the blades. No. 1 or 2, is placed into the 
hollow steel blade-holder, No. 3, at C, which has movable 
joints at R — R. The holder is passed through the steel cap 
Fig. 5, at C2, which slides up to B2 on the holder. Pig. 3. 
The screw C3 of the holder is passed through the entire 
length of the wooden handle. Fig. 4, first entering at HI, and 
pushed down to the bottom, where, by twisting the handle to 
the right, while holding the steel cap. Fig. 5, the screw fast- 
ens tightly into point D, on the bottom of the handle. This 
presses the steel cap against the steel shoulders at B2 and 
holds the knife firmly in position. By twisting the handle to 
the left, the shoulders loosen and the blade can be lengthened 
or drawn entirely out, as may be desired. This tool complete 
with two blades should be bought at retail for 55 cents. 

How to Cut Mats. 

A TWO-FOOT ruler with a bevel brass edge can be used 
by the non-professicnal to good advantage and is all that 
is needed besides the knife. A piece of thick card should 
be placed on your table and on this card you place whatever 
you wish to cut. In this manner, after the blade cuts through 
your design or card, the knife point, in order to make a clean 
cut, must protrude, and naturally enters into the thick card 



in the back without injuring the point or cutting the table. 
When you wish to cut a straight line place the ruler fiat, with 
the bevel side downward, and guide the knife along the brass 
edge, while pressing down the ruler flat with your left hand 
outstretched. 

When you want bevel edges, reverse the ruler and hold 
the blade slanting against the bevel on the ruler. When cut- 
ting thick cardboard for straight edges, the handle is grasped 
firmly with the fist, and slides along the brass edge of the 
ruler. For all other cutting, including bevels, the handle is 
held as though you intended to write with the knife point. 
The end of the thumb and the end of the index finger press 
against the curves of the steel shoulders, that hold the knife 
in position, and the wooden handle end rests snugly between 
the thumb. and index finger, with its round end pressing firmly 
on the flesh between the knuckles of the thumb and finger. 

For mats which are quarters and eighths we would ad- 
vise the use of eight or ten ply cards, all colors. The mat 
should be 1% inches wide for quarters and 1% inches wide 
for eighths. They can be cut with straight edges, but those 
having the outer edge beveled are very attractive. The 
wooden frames for both sizes should be made % or % inch 
thick by 1 inch wide and so made that they will measure 
% inch less outside than the mats. Therefore, when they 
are glued down there will be % inch of space between the 
outside edges of the mat' and the outside edges of the frame. 
Now cut sheets of all colors to fit as follows: For quarter 
mats, 6%xlO% inches; for eighth mats, 4%x8% inches. 

Seasonable Suggestions. 

SIMPLICITY of lettering means quick grasping of reading 
matter on a card. This, after all, is the object of a show 
card, and after its meaning is conveyed to the brain, to 
promptly direct to the vision of the reader the goods which 
are offered for sale. 






0MFOR55S 



/% 



^—■^-■^^4 



PRACTICAL SHOW-CARD. 

The above card conveys our idea. The lettering is plain 
and readily interpreted by the vision. It can be used in the 
center of a window containing any kind of merchandise in- 
tended for winter use, and with the addition of price-tickets 
on the goods offered, is all that would be necessary, from our 
viewpoint, to complete a window show. A light-tinted green 
card with olive green or grass green lettering would make an 
excellent center, in contrast with a brown or dark green frame 
or mat. The lettering is not designed for ornamentation or 
shading. 

Here is an old-time design newly utilized, that can be 
used to good advantage in the window or showcase, or on the 



FAIECHILD'S EAPID LETTEEER 



top of showcases inside tlie store. Your paper should be 
pasted on thick cardboard called gray strawboard. The de- 
sign of the easel should be carefully marked out and only 
the outlines cut out with the mat-cutter. 

To make a more realistic appearance of wood, paste the 



Our artist, through a misunderstanding, has placed the 
lettering intended tor a large sign into the small panel. We 
can, however, nicely use this as an object lesson to remem- 
ber that it is best to avoid too much lettering in small 
spaces. 




THE HANDY EASEL. 

same kind of paper on the back of your card. It is absolutely 
necessary that the paper must be thoroughly smoothed down 
and be perfectly dry, being sure not to cut out the center 
on which no lettering is here shown. It is also necessary to 
paste some kind of paper on the back, otherwise the card 
will not dry flat. Now you can cut as many sheets of any 
colored card as you please, to be used for the fancy panel 
in the center. Near the top of the easel fasten a very small 
screw-hook made of brass. Punch a small hole in the top of 
eaci' of your fancy panels. When they are lettered hang them 
on the hook as you may need them, or use thumb tacks at 
each corner. 

Another method for fastening the lettered panel is to 
glue a small piece of cork on the lower edge of each side of 
the easel in front, then cut a small slit in each cork. The 
bottom of the card rests in the slit and only one thumb tack 
is needed for the top. This method will prove desirable. 

' M re You Prepared 
J l^r tKe first 

Nips of frost? 
fALLloPPERS 

Varicxl styles. 
Recent Weaves 

10.ro ^25. 

PANEL LETTERED FOR FRONT OF EASEL. 

There are many kinds of thin cards that are double faced. 
One kind, called 4-ply card, comes in a great variety of 
colors, can be used advantageously for this purpose, and can 
be lettered on both sides. The easel can be treated with a 
coat of varnish if desired, or bronzed, as described before, 
when soiled. 



44 re You Prepared 
J ijfov the first 

Nips of frost? I 
fALLlOPPERS 

cflU Lengih5. 

Varied Styles, 
Recent Weaves 

40Lio^25. 



PANEL FASTENED ON EASEL FRONT. 

Those of our readers who desire a more artistic effect of 
the easel design can cut out the entire center panel with the 
mat-cutter, holding the knife sideways, so as to cut a beveled 
edge, which shows slanting inward and the outside of the 
easel to slant outward. The method of displaying such signs 
is to cut oblong sheets of cardboard, laying one on the back 
of easel and with a hard pencil lightly mark out the shape 
of the panel, so that you will be able to properly "lay out" 
your lettering inside of the fancy panel. A three-piece wooden 
frame should be glued onto both sides and the bottom cross- 
piece, in the back of the eas'-l and the cards placed inside, 
and one tack placed on each side to hold it in the frame. 
ERASING PENCIL AND CHALK-MARKS. 

When you rule pencil lines or "lay out" letters on. a 
card, be sure to use a soft pencil and do not press hard. In 
this manner it is a simple matter to rub over the entire 
surface after the card Is lettered with a sponge-rubber and 
all pencil-marks and other soiled spots will disappear. The 
rubber can be freely moved over the lettering if you use those 
liquids which are sold for the purpose, or if you put enough 
mucilage or gum into your own made mixture. After thor- 
oughly wiping the card with a dusting brush or rag, you may 
shade or ornament your lettering. 

Rough-surfaced cards, like the green, red or grays, which 
are also much used for mat-boards, can be ruled or "laid out" 
with white chalk. These lines can be more readily wiped off 
with a rag and the sponge rubber than were they pencil- 
marks, in addition to preserving the card surface. 
RULING WITH CHALK. 

Polished card or paper surfaces should be ruled and laid 
out with chalk which is cut with a wedge-shaped point by 
cutting two sides flat, beginning about one-half-inch from the 
point, cuting downwards. Dip one-eighth inch of the point 
into water, which the chalk immediately absorbs, and rule or 
lay out without using much pressure; in a few minutes the 
chalk will be perfectly dry and show clearly. A rag will 
quickly remove the marks. 




HOW -CAP 

AND 

SI 




FIRST LESSON IN FLAT-BRUSH LETTERING 



TO satisfy many inquiries relating to metliods for learning 
card writing, we recommend David's Practical Letterer as 
the best book published for this purpose. For the general 
ruu of quick card-lettering we advise our readers to adopt the 
flat-brush method, which we will describe and illustrate in 
detail, so that anyone with the desire can soon learn to letter 
a fair-looking card. Experience has taught the writer of these 
articles that a No. 7 brush is the most desirable size for 
early practice. This size holds more color than a No. 5, 
which was formerly advocated, and the No. 7 retains the 
chisel shape more readily. 

SABLE BRUSHES. 
The illustration shows the exact sizes of the pointed red- 
sable brushes, which we advocate to be used In practicing all 
of the lessons which follow. It also shows the thickness of 
the stroke. They can be bought of dealers who sell first-class 
materials. One of these brushes costs more than other kinds, 
but it does the work properly and will outlast several that 
are cheaper. 

The learner must be reminded that a good brush should 
be carefully handled. Never, under any circumstance, use 
your brush for mixing color. Never 
allow the color to dry in your 
brush. Always have a cup of wa- 
ter on your table. If you are 
called away while making a sign, 
always wriggle your brush fairly 
clean in the water and lay it flat 
on the table. Never allow your 
brush to rest in the cup, for this 
Burely will curl up the hairs on 
the point and injure it. A good 
brush will last a long while when 
properly handled. 

STARTING IN RIGHT. 

A professional places the 
card perfectly flat and squarely 
before him, both when he "lays 
out" the letters, by which is meant 
marking the position which the 
lettering is to occupy on the card 
and its genera! size, or while he 
paints, or, as we will hereafter 
call it, "writes" the card, whether 
This position assures a better flow 




he uses a pen or a brush, 
from the brush, and, what 



is more important, prevents the coloring or ink from "running" 
beyond the lines intended, besides furthering the retention of 
the chisel-shape of the brush, which is so essential in -flat-brush 
work; 

Though the use of a stub-pen, which was first introduced 
by Soennecken, is absolutely necessary to produce the 
highest class of perfect letters in the shapes called "old 
style" by printers, a brush can nevertheless be used to good 
advantage when the lettering is three-quarters of an inch 
or more in height. 

By using a first-class red-sable round-pointed brush you 
can, with a reasonable amount of practice, acquire the flat- 
brush stroke and soon learn to control your brush, with a ' 
fairly rapid, uniform swing, which will produce remarkably 
fine hair-lines and graduated flat or curved lines, such as 
appear in the letters o, c, d, g, e, etc., in what you call the 
"small" letters, but which are called "lower-case" letters by 
printers. With perfect ease you will rapidly form the even- 
edged and straight lines of uniform width, such as are re- 
quired in all so-called stem-letters, like t, m, 1, b, d, etc. 

PAPER FOR PRACTICE. 

The commonest paper will answer for brush work. Ordi- 
nary manila wrapping paper will do. Cut it in sheets about 
8x11 inches, which is also the usual size of letterheads or 
duplicating typewriters' paper. You may have a lot of old 
stationery in the store which will be just the right thing for 
our purpose. 

Rule six sheets across the narrow eight-inch width, as fol- 
lows: Begin one-quarter inch from the top edge, then rule a 
line across; now measure three-quarters of an inch down, and 
rule your line; then measure one-quarter inch and mark the 
line across, and so alternate down to the bottom of the sheet. 
You will have ten wide spaces ready for lettering. You can 
fasten them down on each upper corner by tacking to a board. 
As each sheet is fllled tear it off to dry, and if you wish to 
watch your progress mark them by numbers and write on the 
date. Place your sheets so that the board is 2% inches back 
from the edge of the table nearest to you. Do not ignore this 
exact distance. Our object is to start right in to overcome 
difficulties which you will encounter when you letter cards. 
In this manner you will learn to control the brush at a dis- 
tance with a slight forward bend of the body, and free hand 
and arm swing, and as you go lower down, seated perfectly 
straight, till finally your little finger rests on your board and 
your brush must be held almost perpendicular. 



10 



FAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETTERER 



11 



Paint for Flat-Brush Work. 

TO insure your brush retaining a flat or chisel shape it 
will be necessary to use mixtures that are gummy or 
thick. You accomplish this by adding considerable gum 
arabic, mucilage or Dextrine (the substance which is used on 
the backs of stamps) to your color. Grind it with a cork 
flattened on one end and add only a small quantity of water. 
The best-known prepared mixtures which can be bought for 
this purpose in small quantities, it desired, are Letterine and 
Markeline. 



other stroKes of the first lesson will be %-inch longer than 
those shown in our illustrations. 

/////// lim 

The "downward slant" strokes from right to left and those 
slanting from left to right are made like copy A, with the fin- 
ger stroke, but the brush is slanted in the directions Indicated. 
Be sure to properly square the point of your brush often. 




Position of Brusli for Flat-strol<e Lettering. 

Loading the Brush. 

MIX a portion of your Letterine with one-quarter part of 
water, with a common brush or flat stick. Dip your 
entire brush into the color, then on a piece of flat glass or 
scrap of card stroke the brush, with a wavy motion toward 
you, with slight pressure on one side, and, turning the brush, 
do the same on the other side. Then glide the brush lightly 
sideways on the card on both sides, so that It now has a 
perfect flat chisel shape, and you begin your first lesson. 
In the beginning you will probably be obliged to adjust 
your brush point every second stroke, but later you may make 
three to five strokes, although for certain lettering, when the 
color Is used thick, you will be obliged to flatten your brush 
after each stroke. 

Holding the Brush. 

HOLD the brush between the first and second fingers, witii 
the thumb holding it, merely to keep it in position at the 
first joint of these two fingers. The little finger must rest on 
the card or paper and the third finger on the "pinky," just as 
when writing with a pen. 

All perpendicular and slanting straight lines are made with 
the brush in this position. 

The brush is slanted slightly toward the center of the 
arm, as shown here. 

The small arrows shown on the practice copies indicate 
the direction of the strokes. It is absolutely necessary to 
follow their direction, and in all instances the entire fiat point 
of your brush must touch the paper lightly. 

Fundamental Flat-Brush Strokes, 
rt T) EGIN this "perpendicular" stroke boldly, 

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ D straight downward, using the finger 
R 1 1 I I I movement, holding the brush with th« 
P I I I I I slant indicated, gradually bringing it to an 
almost perpendicular position as you reach 
the bottom of the line. As soon as you reach the line, Imme- 
diately raise your brush straight up, being careful not to In- 
crease the pressure on the brush, otherwise the line will be 
much wider on the bottom than on top. All of your lines and 





Position for Flat-brusli Side Strolies. 

Do not make the mistake to write too slowly. You 
must be fairly quick. No matter how crooked your lines 
or how poorly you succeed at first, do not waste time dawdling 
or you will never have confidence, nor will you acquire a 
proper swinging stroke. After you master the handling of 
the brush, you will be able to letter quickly and prettily. 

These horizontal strokes made from left to 
right must be made one-quarter-inch longer than 
here shown, and you can make four on your 
first practice sheet, which will leave more space 
between each line. Later try five lines. Do not 
move your fingers at all for this stroke, but slide your hand 
from left to right along the paper, resting the side of your 
little finger and the side of the palm of your hand fiat on the 
paper, by moving the forearm, the lower muscles of which 
are resting on the card or table. When you are working on 
the last two rows, you simply move your entire forearm side- 
ways, free from any rest. In this way you learn two distinct 
movements. 



nil J7/7/ 



Copies F and G are duplications of copies A and B shown 
here, wit hthe pointed curve addition at the top. Every part 
of your brush, chisel flat point, must touch the paper. Rest 
the point a short distance from your top line, move your fin- 
gers a little distance, slanting upward; now, just before the 
outside edge of your brush touches the top line, glide your 
brush sideways and then downward. At first your curves will 
be too large, but you will soon "catch on to the curves." 

K This stroke is the same as shown 

-^ -^ '^ -^^ in Fig. F, but, instead of quickly lift- 

]■ ■ I I ing your brush when you reach the bot- 

/l ^ ^ ^ torn line, you glide your brush a tiny 

bit to the right and just a trifle up- 
ward, the moment the lower part of the brush point seems 
about to touch the bottom line. This makes the stem line for 
the lower case b, d, h, i, k, 1, m, n, p, q, r, t, u, v, w, and y. 




CLC 



L This is ttie reverse curve strolce, 

J^ ^ ^ M ^ wltlch old masters termed tlie "line of 
B I I ■ ■ beauty." "When it is used in larger let- 
I V V I P V ters, in long, graduated slant, it is in- 
^ ^ W ^ ^ deed a beautiful line. Practice this both 
straight and slanting downward to the left, and as soon as 
the bottom end of your brush touches the line, raise up your 
hand. Later on you will merely raise the brush. Remember, 
again, every part of the point of your brush must be flat, on 
the paper all the time. This stroke is used in certain forms 
of the letters d, f, g. j, w and y in lower case series. 

^ This is the "outward — down and 

up stroke" used in the formation of 
the lower case letters a, c, d, e, o, g 
and q. 

Begin at the top. holding the brush 
at first with the slightest touch, as if you intended to write 
the reverse stroke. Pig. L; slide your hand sideways down- 
ward [do not move fingers], swinging to the left and circle to 
the right upwards, being sure to keep your brush flat, in the 
same position, all the time, without turning with any finger 
movement. Lift your brush deftly, so as to form a perfect 
point. 

Copy I is the reverse movement 
of copy H, beginning by sliding the 
hand lightly and a little upward to 
the right, and then on a downward 
curve to the left, quickly lift your 
brush, leaving the graceful point shown. 

Here w'e h:.ve a combination of the 
two preceding strokes, forming both a cap- 
ital or lower case O. Be sure to practice 
this both ways, first making the copy H 
stroke and joining it with I stroke, and then 
reverse the strokes. This will gradually give you excellent 
control of your brush and accustom the eye to circular forma- 
tions. 

N 



I 



d:>7 




* 



^tttt 



Copies M and M are modified forms of copies H and I and 
are the finishing hooks on lower case letters c, n, s, f, j, x 
and y. You should first make them double the height shown, 
and then half again as large as copy. Copy O is one method 
of making the Period. When the brush is held slightly side- 
ways it forms a diamond-shaped Period. 



We have been very concise and careful to guide you In 
every detail so far, in order to give you a thorough drilling. 
If you have followed instructions you will be amply rewarded, 
because you will with perfect ease understand how to join the 
strokes so as to write a complete alphabet, which we will sub- 
mit in our next lesson. 



HOW TO UTILIZE TRADE JOURNALS. 

THE inserts of many of our advertisers afford exceptional 
opportunity for the retailer to create highly attractive 
and remarkably artistic window cards. Neatly paste a 
single page on a ten-ply-thick cardboard. When completely 
dry cut out all the center space with your mat cutter. On 
the back of this card glue a wooden pine frame. Then cut 
cards to fit loosely into the wooden frame. 

These cards can be worded as you may desire. Your 
lettering on the signs need only be black to form a contrast 
with the high colors of the frame. Have as little wording 
as possible; do the work very carefully so as to be neat and 
uniform. Gold lettering having a light edge-line in any color, 
or white letters on a colored background with a gold edge- 
line, will also make a pleasing and telling card. 



A 

FEW 

"WARM ONES" 

FROM 

OUR EXTENSIVE STOCK 

OF 

WINTER OVERCOATS 

FOR 

BOYS, YOUNG MEN AND ADULTS 



The retailer will find these panels highly effective when 
used in conjunction with displays of haberdashery, but he 
should always bear in mind a grateful thought toward the 
firm that makes it so easy for him to obtain high-class win- 
dow cards without expense. 



18 



SOME VALUABLE RECIPES, 



Regular Awning Paint. 

STANDAGE'S receipt for awning paint is in the following 
proportions: 2 ounces of yellow soap dissolved in 60 
ounces of water by boiling same and afterwards stir in 2 
quarts of boiled oil. When cool, stir in 1(1 ounces of gold 
size, being sure that everything is well mixed. 

Painting Awnings. 

To paint canvas awnings and to keep them pliable as well 
as waterproof, says the "Painter's Magazine," dissolve 
white beeswax in enough turpentine to make it the con- 
sistency of soft butter. Add twelve ounces of this to two 
pounds of zinc white in oil and two tablespoonfuls of soft soap. 
This thick mass is then applied to the canvas with a spatula. 
When this is dry, thin down the balance of your mixture with 
oil and "turps," so that it can readily be used with a wide 
wall brush and go over the awning with one or two good coats. 
If you desire a color, you can then give it any oilpaint coating. 
The durability of such an awning is worth the trouble. 

Cleaning Painted Awnings. 

To clean awnings, free them first by briskly brushing off all 
dirt and dust with dry brushes, then use a liberal supply 
of soft soap, scrubbing briskly with scrubbing bristle brushes. 
Then rinse, preferably by turning on a hose till the water 
has washed oft every trace of soap. A little ammonia may be 
added to the soft soap if some of the spots do not come out. 

Cleaning Window Glass. 

A METHOD for cleaning window or plate glass which is 
superior to those usually employed by most stores is as 
follows: Use the finest pulverized pumice stone. Take a soft 
sponge, dip it into any kind of alcohol and apply it by rubbing 
the sponge over the glass surface. Then use a cotton flannel 
cloth for the first rubbing and finally rub with a piece of 
cheesecloth and your glass panes will be full of luster and 
clean. 

To Make Putty. 

OFTEN you require a small quantity of putty in a hurry and 
cannot get it nearby. You simply take whiting, such as 
your wife uses to clean glass or silver, and mix with linseed 
oil, using a little oil at a time while you continually mix It, 
and finally knead with your hands, rather adding whiting than 
oil, and you will have putty which finally dries as hard as 
stone. 

Flour Paste for Paper. 

AN excellent paste for any kind of paper is to take either 
rye or wheat flour beaten up in cold water so that it is 
smooth and like cream, and then put it over a fire till it begins 
to boil. You must be careful to constantly stir it so that it 
will not be scorched. After it is thick and glossy, take it from 
the fire, adding one-half of a teaspoonful of carbolic acid to 
each gallon of paste. This will prevent it from souring. 
When wanted for use, with cold water mix to the required 
thinness. 

Frosting Glass or Mirrors. 

IN summer many stores cover mirrors with frosting or leave 
only a small part exposed. It prevents flies from soiling the 
glass and has a cooling effect in hot weather. 

Epsom salts can be bought in any drug store. Ten cents 
will buy enough for frosting several mirrors. Put the salts in 
a vessel having warm beer or ale, so that it will dissolve with- 
out showing a white solution. 



Lay your mirror flat and apply the solution by tapping 
it on with a soft sponge. This should not be done in a warm 
room, but where it is fairly cool, so that it can crystallize 
more slowly, when the effect is prettier. To remove the frost- 
ing, simply use warm water. 

Utilizing Fancy Wall Papers. 

\\T E are on the eve of a great saving of expense by the use 
VV of wall papers for store windows, but more especially for 
large interior signs, Jlany of the dainty tinted papers called 
satin finish are very decorative if used in combination with 
floral borders, oval or other panels, into which the lettering is 
placed. Such signs will be appreciated more in the spring 
season or for the holiday trade, when chrysanthemums of pa- 
per or other artificial flowers and leaves are placed across the 
top and the lettering is tinseled in green, silver or gold as a 
suggestion for spring or holiday sign. You can take one strip 
of light blue satin paper and paste in the middle distance ot 
it a panel of roses which you will have cut out from a single 
roll of rose border wall paper. You then letter the words 
"Holiday Presents," "Spring Opening" or some such inscription 
in the panel, using a ball of wash blue properly mixed with 
mucilage and water for your paint. The lettering can be 
shaded in gold bronze or with flitter, as explained under the 
heading "Flitter," elsewhere in this book. Across the top, 
which has been glued to a cheap curtain pole, you place artl 
ficial flowers, as mentioned, with one large flower on each 
end. The bottom of your paper can be cut like an inverted 
letter V, which will make the entire sign look like a long 
banner. You should glue a fairly heavy strip of wood across 
the back of the strip as far down as possible; this will pre- 
vent it from curling. 

A professional show-card man would charge $4 to $5 for 
such a sign. The material would cost you about $1.50, but 
you would have enough to make 5 long signs. You can buy 
various colored papers, asking for "single" rolls. In this man- 
ner for special occasions you can make a rich display with 
very small expense. For fall use what are called flat papers. 
These can be bought as low as 15 cents a roll. Paste up nat- 
ural varnished leaves (mentioned elsewhere) or artificial 
leaves. You can use the acorn cups, which are described, by 
inverting them and gluing them to form your words, like 
"Fall Styles." An oval of oak leaves around the lettering will 
be highly attractive. 

If desirable, an edge line can be striped about one-half inch 
on each side, but it must not be run all the way down, as 
your line should be made to join into the V-shaped cut-out. 

Another method for carrying out the same idea so that 
it will cost about one-third the price is to use one strip of pa- 
per, then paste on a solid oval or circle, diamond shape or 
square of some contrasting color. Run edge lines around the 
panels in gold or yellow and put in your lettering any color 
desired. 

Gilt Molding With Paper Signs. 

FOR a panel sign to be placed temporarily against the side 
wall in a window or on the wall in any part of the store, 
a sign whose background is of green cartridge paper (which 
comes 30 inches wide) can have its outer edge framed with 
narrow half-inch, half-round gold molding. You must mitre 
the corners neatly and fasten down by using a few round, 
thin brads. By cutting any fancy panel of contrasting color — 
white, red, yellow, etc. — and running an edge line around it 
you can make your sign 6 feet high to cost about $1.00. 



13 




SECOND LESSON IN FLAT STROKE LETTERING. 



Jr you have properly practiced the first lesson, you should 
quickly he able to form all of the chaiacters here illus- 
(rated. Let me caution you from the outset not to be too 
slow. Be bold, follow the strokes in the order of which the 
arrows are numbered, write fairly rapidly, taking care to touch 
the brush lightly at the thin parts, where they are joined, 
and you will soon surprise yourself with what you can accom- 
plish. For your first trial take a wider brush than is shown 
in the lines of the copy. Rule your paper in rows IVi inches 
high, each row having three horizontal spaces, which will be 
5-12 of an inch high, leaving a space of one inch between each 
row, so that your work will not crowd. 



downward curved stroke, on the upper right-hand ends of 
their curved centers. This stroke is made after the letter 
is completed. When you have followed these instructions, 
go over the second instruction series by again ruling onlj 
two lines, but — write all of your letters straight up and down 
instead of slanting. Do not use any guide lines. Your eyo 
will become accustomed to irregularities and you will gradu- 
ally overcome what is rather difficult to accomplish, that is, 
to write perpendicular letters. Do not be discouraged if it 
takes some time to do this, because everybody experiences 
the same difficulty, and you cannot expect to be an exception 
We will now learn to write figures, which are, with the 




Flat-stroke Numbers. 



After you practice the alphabet three times in this man 
ner, rule your next sheets by drawing only two lines 5-12 of 
an inch apart for the body of each letter, and your eye should 
gauge the top and bottom distances. When you have prac- 
ticed this three times, take a smaller brush and you will find 
yourself pretty clever. You will notice that there is one 
stroke in the copy which for simplicity's sake has not been 
indicated by arrows. Letters d, g and q have a short, .shaded. 



exception of the characters 3 and 8, very simple to master. 
Follow the arrows carefully. Try them with various-sized 
brushes. The larger your brush the taller you can make your 
numbers. Finally, practice the numbers in an upright posi 
tion. Most showcards have the prices perpendicular; for this 
reason you should practice figures incessantly, until you are 
satisfied that you make the shapes correctly, as well as hav- 
ing them straight. 






Slanting Lower Case Flat-stroke Letters. 

14 



PAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETTERER 



15 



Our Next Lesson. 

BEGINNING with our next lesson we are in a position to 
practice the tormatiou of words with prices. Throughout 
all of these lessons we will refrain from actually marking out 
all letters in detail. We will simply "lay out" the spaces 
crudely and quickly, so that a given space shall accommodate 
a given number of letters. Of course, you notice that i, I and 
t occupy the narrowest widths; c, e, o are the next in width; 
g, J being wider than all of the other letters, with the excep- 
tion of m and w, which are the widest. When you write your 
words, your "layout" is seldom an exact guide, and your lead 
pencil marks may be all awry, but your sponge-rubber will 
wipe them all away after your color is allowed to dry thor- 
oughly. In order to stimulate interest among our learners, 
we invite them to send in their last trial copy of letters and 
numbers for criticism. This will prove a great help to those 
who are earnest in the work. 



accord with the observer's reserve fund for this particular pur- 
pose, he might pay $4 a suit, instead of $3, which he would 
have paid had he not seen the showcard. 

Male attire and anything a man or boy requires for 
winter use is suggested in the third card. A plentiful supply 
of price tickets on all items displayed will make any other 
showcard unnecessary in a window. 

The appearance of all of the lettering here shown could 
be greatly enriched if it were shaded. This can be quickly 
accomplished by the use of a wide flat brush, which should 
be at least V2 inch in Width. 

We recommend the %-inch flat brush for shading. When 
letters are too close to permit of this width use a No. 7 or 
10 red sable "rigger" brush, handling it flat-brush method 
when desired. These wide brushes produce remarkably quick 
and effective results. It is not our intention for some time 
to show shaded letters, firstly, because we wish the learner 




yturjr 





THREE suggestions for the easel signs are here shown. 
They can, of course, be made to fit on top or in the 
tack of the easel. The freedom of the designs clearly shows 
that they were lettered in a hurry and without great caution 
as to regularity, but they will answer the purpose for which 
they are intended, and the storekeeper who insists on a fre- 
quent change of signs will be more in evidence in the near 
future. It follows, therefore, that the scrupulous regularity 
of letter designing will gradually grow into disuse, and a 
businesslike swing to a neatly lettered card that is quickly 
produced will be the winner, care being necessary to have 
effective wording to fulfill the proper mission. 

A man who never wore a "Prince Edward" coat might 
be induced to try one on if he reads the first card. 

Quality and warmth should naturally be suggestive of 
desirable underwear to purchase. If the price is not just in 



to notice the actual lettering unadorned by shading, which 
often hides most imperfections, and, secondly, because we be- 
lieve plain lettering sells more goods and, of course, saves 
time. 

Sponge Rubber. 

There are several kinds of this rubber sold on the mar- 
ket. There is only one good kind, and this can be bought 
at the same price which Is asked for the undesirable quality. 
Sponge-rubber should be at least one Inch thick. If you can 
get it thicker, so much the better. It Is either dark slate or 
blackish, and should have no backing, but should be spongy 
and pliable on all of Its surfaces, every one of which can be 
used as an eraser. It can be bought at prices ranging from 
15 cents to 75 cents each, the former being about IV* inches 
square. A piece at 25 cents is about what you should get. 



CAUTION TO BEGINNERS 

Good brustes are expensive out tney are wortli tne price. For wide rlat-orusn lettering to get 
clean-edged letters, use either Black or Red Sable flat brusnes. 




PRACTICE WITH WIDE, FLAT BRUSHES. 



ALL of our preceding practice in slanting and straigtit 
lettering should now be done with wide flat brushes. 
They range in width from % to 2 inches and are rather 
expensive. The beginner should purchase a "Russian Sable % 
inch wide, flat brush." The price should not be more than 50 
cents. When you see the rapid worli you can do with it and 
the beautiful, clean-edged lines it writes, you will consider it 
cheap. By using wider brushes you will be able to write a 
beautiful large card with four or five words in five minutes. 
The letters in the copy were written with special care to con- 
form with the engraver's space in exactly three minutes, but 
they lack the freedom of swing which the writer can accom- 
plish in an unhampered space in one-half the time. 

Your color can be mixed much thinner for these wide 
brushes because they always maintain the same width. Be sure 
to remember that when writing, every part of the brush must 
always lie flat on your card. The brush must be stroked occa- 
sionally after each loading, to free it from surplus color and to 
form a uniform flat point. All of the strokes are made exactly 
as in previous lessons. For practice, rule your paper in rows of 
four lines, the two center lines to be I14 inches apart and the 
top and bottom line Vz inch away. The center space is for the 
letters that have no projecting stems and the other lines are for 
stem letters like b, t, d, y, g, etc. For lack of space and be- 
cause the formation of the letters is the same as previously 
shown, we will illustrate only a few letters. 



ond stroke, you place your brush into the thin line on top and 
swing your stroke downward, using the full width till you come 
to the upward curve. 

The learner should now rule lines to conform exactly with 
copy — one inch in the center and one-half inch top and bottom. 
It will be found more difficult to execute the work because the 
space is narrower, but after you have become expert you will 
be able to make these letters with the same brush in a space 
only one inch wide should you desire to do so. "Palette" would 
like to see your efforts with this brush, but only when you feel 
that you are doing fairly well or if you desire advice even 
though your work is faulty and irregular. 

We can utilize our knowledge to good advantage by at once 
constructing cards which are needed for the season. 

No matter what size your card may be you must allow am- 
ple empty space on all sides. The simplest construction for 
card No. 1 is to form the panels first by ruling green lines on 
the white card. In each corner paint your leaves, which you 
make with two strokes of your brush, first taking dark green 
for one side of each leaf, then adding enough yellow to your 
color to make it a light green for the other half. Now take 
some red paint and make three small dots between each two 
leaves and we have the holly effect. The letters C and P are 
written in red and the others in black. A more elaborate effect 
for the same device is to cut the panels of gold or tinted paper 
and paste it on the card. Then rule lines around the panels in 




FXIKCHILD (s.- 



Wide, Flat Brush Lower Case Letters 



Do not use much pressure on your brush. Many writers hold 
these brushes as though they were writing "back-handed" with 
a pen. Follow the arrows; begin the letter a by resting the en- 
tire brush slanting sideways downward, so that the upper edge of 
the point is stationed at the extreme upper edge of the letter, 
then finish your stroke as per arrow. When you begin the sec- 



contrasting color. Make all the lettering black or dark green. 

Most people are puzzled during the holiday season in know- 
ing just what to purchase for the boys or men; cards like 
Nos. 2 and 3 often promote the sale of many goods and are 
helpful in offering suggestions to customers. 

Rule two lines with your pencil to indicate the height of 



16 



FAIKCHILD'S RAPID LETTEEEE 



17 



your amall letters for the top line in card No. 2 and rule one 
perpendicular line so that the initials of all the words under 
the top line will be equally distant from the edge of the card. 
Now rule two horizontal lines just a short distance across 
the card for the initial letters and small horizontal lines fairly 



i4 



¥- 



Qmiiim^ 




No. 1. 
well across the card for the small letters. Lay out the entire 
card with a soft pencil, taking care not to press too hard. Leave 
the spaces between the three words on the top line the same, 
and indicate all the letters, no matter how crudely you do it. 
All the lettering underneath can be marked out the same way. 
The wording has been especially constructed gradually to as- 
semble more letters and to give a variety of new practice on 
capitals. The simplest coloring for this card is black on white. 
A more effective style is to run a double red rule under the top 
line and a single rule under each word. A richer effect is to 
make all the initials in red and run a gold rule under the top 
line and a gold rule only under the lettering after each initial. 
All the lettering to be black. 

No. 3 is a card that I know is going to give my scholars a 
lot of trouble because the straight letters are much more diffi- 
cult to write than the slanting ones. It is laid out both for 




No. 2. 
utility for the season as well as practice and we must make It. 
I would use red for the F and D on the top line and black for 
all of the rest of the lettering on the entire card and then run 



nxv 

collxvs 

^xrfers 

unScrwexr 

suspenders 



.I^IRCHUD pue c. 



No. 3. 



thin rules of red or gold under each word. The top line should 
have a double rule under it. An evergreen border stitched on 
the card will prove very effective. Card No. 4 can be con- 
structed on the lines suggested for the first card. The ribbons 
a,nd bows can be left off if you want a simple card. These 
ribbons are readily made by first using say a light blue and 
shading with a dark blue. A rich effect is to cut four card 
panels say of light green. Paint gold borders around each panel; 
make the initials in dark green, run an edge line of gold or 
white around each initial. Out of narrow satin light green rib- 
bon tie three bows with long ends, put a little glue on the 
back of each upper corner of your initial panels and fasten 
the ends of the bow there. Now after you lay all three panels 
loose on the card indicate their proper position, running a 
small line where each bow ought to be located, then take 
some glue and spread it along each of these lines and fasten 




No. 4. 

the back center of each bow. It will, of course, be under- 
stood that the other lettering on the large card will have 
been marked out before the panels were fastened to the ribbon, 




Bronzing Plaster or Wood. 

IF you wish to bronze objects like new wood or a plaster 
figure, they should receive one coat of "flat" oil paint, 
which means that the paint is thinned with turpentine only; 
no oil being used. When this is dry, give them one coat of 
glue which has been made very thin with water or vinegar. 
After this is dry apply bronze mixture. Your objects can 
receive one coat of thin shellac and then be bronzed, but the 
former method is the cheapest and good for indoor purposes, 
and the eimplest, though the latter Is the best. 




Flat Brush Edge-Lines. 

TO avoid answering numerous inquiries individually we 
here crudely illustrate the proper method of procedure 
and the method of holding the brush when making edge-lines 
with a flat brush, such as were made on the price tickets in 
the preceding lesson. 

Place your card flat on a table, holding it down with 
your left hand. Allow about one inch of the card to project 



from the right hand edge of the table. Hold the brush at 
as low an angle as possible, in the manner shown above; 
your thumb near the end of the wooden handle lies flat on 
the top. Your three fingers rest against the side of the 
handle. The first joint of your index finger, pointed slanting 
forward and downward, rests on its inside firmly and flat 
against the outer side of the brush, exactly where the hairs 
of the brush end and where the metal begins. You then 
rest the side of your index finger gently against the edge 
of the cardboard, plumb down to where the joint is resting 
against the metal on the brush. Your brush, which has been 
loaded with easy flowing color, is then slid along the edge 
of the card, and an even border, the full width of your 
brush, is the result. All this explanation seems diflicult, but 
one or two tryeuts will bring it to your understanding. 

Ruling Other Edge-Lines. 

YOU can rule lines with smaller brushes in the same 
manner, whether they are flat or round pointed, by using 
the first joint of your index finger as a guide and holding 
all the other Sngers just as shown, only that they are ele- 
vated from the card, as far toward the center of the card, 
according to "low far from the edge the line is to appear. 

Be very careful not to press your finger hard against the 
edge of cardboard while you glide it along, or you may give 
yourself as severe a cut as with a penknife. Be gentle. 

Block Capitals. 

'E are gradually increasing our knowledge of various 
fonts of letters and, as variety with harmony is highly 
appreciated, we hope to utilize this knowledge in the near 



w 





:c o- 1: r n 
J K L M m-Q r a 

TU¥WKY 





IS 



FAIECHILD'S EAPID LETTERER 



19 



fature to the best advantage. To accommodate our page 

space our engraving is made so tliat in to-day's lesson the 
characters appear much smaller than you should make them. 
Rule two lines one inch apart, leaving fully % inch of space 
between the next two. In your first practice sheets the let- 
ters should be one inch high. You can then take a larger 
brush and make them 1% inches high. When you master 
this practice take a %-inch-wide flat brush, the Russian sable 
being the best, and make your letters 2 inches high. 

Flat Stroke Block Capitals. 

As these letters are mostly used on large signs like the 
22x28 cardboard, and are also attractive for bulletins, we 
advise the learner later on to use brushes one inch, I14 and 
1% inches wide. 

With such wide brushes you can quickly make letters 12 
to 18 inches high. 

BRISTLE FITCHES. 

For this purpose you can buy ordinary flat bristle 
"fitches." The price ranges from 20 to 30 cents each. 

A HANDY RULER. 

When painting these large letters you should always use 
a two-foot ruler. On each extreme flat end you should glue 
a piece of wood 1 Inch thick. You will then guide your brush 
along the edge of the raised ruler, just as though you were 
ruling with a lead pencil. 

OILCLOTH SIGNS. 

In this manner you can use oil colors and paint excellent 
outdoor signs on oilcloth, which would cost you at a sign 
shop $3 to $5, at an expense of $1. Your color should have 
plenty of Japan or varnish mixed in it, and dull-finished white 
oilcloth is especially made for this purpose. 

How to Write Block Letters. 

WHEN you write the letters shown above, the brush must 
always be full chisel shape, well loaded wth color in the 
back, but the point should be as pointedly flat on the tip as 
possible. Use very little pressure, fill and stroke your brush 



and all other side strokes In this alphabet are made by 
holding the fingers still, and sliding the hand from left to 
right. Now make strokes 4, 5 and 6 in this manner, and the 
letter is complete. Later on, when you have thoroughly mas- 
tered the brush and the lay-out of space, you will probably 
do as the writer does. First make stroke 4, then stroke 6, 
then 6; after this, strokes 1, 2 and 3. 

Letter B— Make stroke 1, beginning slightly below the 
top line and ending a trifle above the top. Beginning a trifle 
to fhe left of the top of stroke 1, make stroke 2, by gliding 
the hand sideways; make stroke 3 considerably above the 
center of the space, gliding sideways, but make this line 
about 1-16 inch shorter than line 2; now make line 4 almost 
% of an inch longer than line 2; now join these by making 
strokes 5 and 6. In the beginning you probably will find 
irregular or rough lines where the curved and straight lines 
meet. You may touch them up even with your brush, but 
after a while it will not be necessary. We have carefully 
guided you in the construction of the first two characters, so 
that, by following the arrows in the order Indicated, you will 
be at ease to complete the entire lesson. After you have 
followed all of the foregoing instructions you can with a 
small brush make the letters the exact size of those in the 
copy, and it will be good practice. 

Wet Weather Signs. 

EVERY store that retails umbrellas, rubbers, raincoats, etc., 
should be supplied with oilcloth signs for outdoor use. 
The frames should be substantially made of 2x2-inch strips, 
besides having two cleats of the same across their narrow 
width and a slanting cleat in each corner. If thoroughly 
nailed together, this will make frames that will stand buffet- 
ing and wet weather. Many stores place such signs imme- 
diately under their front show window frames as soon as it 
threatens to rain. There are two substantial hooks perma- 
nently fitted to the top of the frame, which can quickly be 
hung onto two heavy screweyes which are on the window 
casing. A piece of copper wire is passed through another 
screweye on the bottom frame, and one which is permanent 
on the bottom of the store front. The wording as shown is 



UMBRELLAS 



often, as every part of each letter is supposed to be of uni- 
form thickness. The learner is requested during the first 
practice, until he has mastered the shapes of the letters, to 
first mark them out in single lead-pencil strokes, merely to 
get the right proportions, as a guide for the brush. After 
you have practiced the whole alphabet twice, then do not 
use a pencil, and you will be pleased to see that you eventu- 
ally can write them without a guide-line. 

Beginning with letter A, start stroke 1 a little below 
the line, going down to within about 1-16 of an inch from the 
bottom line; make stroke 2 in the same manner to the right; 
then stroke 3, but notice carefully that this side stroke 



more apt to sell the goods than if only the word umbrellas 
is used. The words "Buy" and "Here" can be painted red; 
the center lettering should be black. A 1-inch red-edge line, 
which may on its inner edge have a narrow black edge line, 
will make the sign doubly attractive. 

Another method is to have the letters all red and then 
run an edge line of black around every letter. No edge 
line need be placed around the border of the sign. Some 
object to using red, as it is more perishable. When you have 
once painted your letters, it is a simple matter to outline 
them with a small, flat sign painters' brush, and then fill In 
with a wide, flat brush. 




HOW-C 



AND 



I 




HOLIDAY PRECAUTIONS. 



HOLIDAY time should not only tind the show windows 
properly ticketed and decorated, but a special effort 
should be made to place what is most salable during 
this rush time in easily accessible positions, and everything 
within the vision of the visitor to the store should have a 
price ticket. Every clerk is usually busy; there is enough 
tension to wait on purchasers without being disturbed by 
constant queries, "How much is this?" etc. The wise store- 
keeper makes very little effort at decorating the interior of 
his store. Tinsel decorations and too much evergreen de- 
tract the eye from the main purchasing channel. It is wise 
to do this in the window, but when your customer Is landed 
Inside, his eye should catch a liberal display of silk hand- 
kerchiefs, neckwear, gloves, bath robes, etc. Turn out as 
much of your merchandise from the shelves as you can ac- 
commodate. Have your price cards all of one color, the best 
being white lettered in black. Square cards hung by the 
point look the most attractive. Many stores that never have 
prices marked on anything during the regular season use 
price tickets in December and you who have never tried this, 
can profitably make the experiment. 

Psychological Tickets. 

MANY a man or woman is too sensitive to ask the price 
of an article without feeling that he or she is obligated 
to buy it, or something else. These people, of course, are in 
the great minority, but the price-ticket psychologically acts 
exactly as a human salesman and very often does quicker 
work. 

"I often see tickets with the words "Sold elsewhere for 
$1.50." No matter how much cheaper your price may be, 
this wording is a mistake. Do not divert the possible cus- 
tomer's thoughts to "elsewhere." You have his attention — 
keep it! land him! 

For January you can make the experiment; remembering 
the old adage, "Turn over a new leaf." trying something new 
legitimately to effect sales. Cards that read like the follow- 
ing will surely attract more attention and actually sell more 
goods than the simple price-ticketed merchandise: 

"Try this on — $20 the whole suit." 

"Put one on the boy for $1.25 (for caps). 

"Keep your ears warm, 35 cents" (tor ear muffs). 

"Keeps the cold out, $25" (for overcoats). 

"Make your trip in comfort; put your duds in here, $7" 
(for dress suit case). 

"Put one in your pocket for $1" (for a purse). 

"Your old hat looks shabby — $2.00 for this." 



"If you're chilly, buy wool underwear, $3.50 a suit." 

"Avoid colds; mufflers $1.00." 

"You need sleeve buttons, $2.00 for these." 

There are enough examples here to illustrate our meaning. 

January Sales. 

You can safely rid your show windows of all the extra 
decorations, and by solid window trims force many sales, 
especially of men's clothing, during the month of January, by 
holding your "midwinter" sales. Thousands of men in your 
city have worn last year's clothing which, until now, looked 
fairly presentable. Many unselfish men, especially among 
the toilers, have neglected themselves to buy presents for 
their sweethearts or family. The next two months should 
bring many of these possible customers into your store. 
Suppose you try a new method. Do not scream "mark down 
sales" in January. Dress your window as for an opening 
sale of midwinter styles. Let us try something different in 
a window card. Make a mat for your card of either red or 
green. If it is a full-sized sheet, 22x28 Inches, have the mat 
three inches wide. For smaller sizes two inches in width. 
With your mat-cutter, cut through your card and create 
designs somewhat as here shown, after you have first care- 
fully marked them out on the top surface with a lead pencil. 

When you have done this, glue contrasting colored thin 
paper, on the back, by putting only slight touches of glue 
between the designs. This will keep the paper smooth but 
will also allow you to change the paper so that it can be 
readily removed for another color where the design shows. 
Green paper behind a red card. Red paper with a green card. 
White paper with any kind of card. etc. 

Now, we must concede that this means a lot of work, but 
the effect is beautiful. 

All of these ideas are practical and pay, if you have the 
time. If you are too busy, mark out your designs, fill them 
in with gold, and if you desire it you can outline them with 
black or white. 

Price Tickets. 

MAKE your price tickets to match. You need not cut 
mats for these, but run your broad borders by making 
the inside edge-lines with a narrow brush, using a ruler to 
guide it; then take a wide, flat brush and fill in. Personally 
I use only the wide brush, and perhaps you can do so. Your 
cards should measure about 3 by 5 inches. 

Now, cut a small stencil for the border. Use the stiff, 
emooth sheets sold by stationers for letter copying books. 
Your mat-cutter should be sharp and the lines cut clean 



20 



F A I R C H I L D ■ S li A P 1 D L E T T E E E R 



With a ten-cent bristle brusii apply your bronze for the 
border design. You should cut the bristles so that they are 
a trifle less than one-half inch long. 

The lay-outs of the lettering on these designs is sug- 
gested on account of their extreme simplicity. Fancy scrolls 
on the smaller price tickets are undesirable. The lettering 




should be as plain as possible, the prices sufficiently promi- 
nent to be quickly seen in any part of the window. 

Learn to make your dollar signs neat and not large, 
using a writing pen for the two light lines and a small 
brush for the rest. Your numbers should be as plain as 
possible. I think it a great waste of time and even con- 
fusing to add the customary two naughts or ciphers after the 
figures. The dollar sign is sufficient, and you will also find 
that by placing the small triangle after the price you have 
an improvement over the old method of using the customary 
period. The small ornaments can be made with gold bronze, 
bhading these cards is not necessary, although it enhances 
their beauty but takes more time. A good effect on these 
two designs would be to shade the words overcoat and suit, in 
gold. Most show-card writers use water-gold or gold Let- 
terine, which is also a water-color mixture. I prefer bronze 
liquid. 

Water Gold. 

BUY one ounce of gold bronze, pay 25 cents for it, so that 
you get a good quality. Dissolve clean white gum arabic 
over night in cold water, so that you have a clear mucilage. 




Put the bronze in a heavy coffee cup. Pour in your mucilage 
gradually and mix it thoroughly, using a six-inch round stick 
with one end whittled round. It takes a lot of good mixing 
to make a good water-gold. The stick grinds it against the 
Bide of the cup, and when it is about like a thick syrup you 
can put some in a saucer and thin it with water, taking care 



not to make it too thin. Any kind of bronze can be mixed 
this way. 

The most satisfactory results are obtained by using 
the bronze liquid. You will, however, be obliged to have a 
separate set of brushes for this purpose, but the expense, no 
matter what it may be, is trifling when you compare the 




beauty of your gold, its brilliancy and its durability. In ad- 
dition to this you will be able to make gold signs on wood 
that will be fast color and remain untarnished for a year. 
Your brushes must invariably be thoroughly washed in tur- 
pentine or gasoline, a small quantity of which can always be 
kept handy in a wide-mouthed, securely corked bottle for this 
purpose. 

Many beginners use what is called banana liquid. This 
is very desirable if you wish to bronze a large surface, like 
a register, but as it thickens and as the smell is offensive 
to many, it is undesirable. 

How to Make Bronze Liquid. 

WE will give you a recipe so that you can make your own 
bronze liquid at one quarter of the cost which you pay 
in an art store, besides giving you a better mixture: 
One-half Pint Damar Varnish. 
One-half Pint Grain Alcohol. 
One-half Pint Benzine. 
Always shake well before using and keep tightly corked. 
When using bronze for stencil work mix it so that it 
has the consistency of the syrup. This prevents it from run- 




ning under the stencil. The brush should be tapped up and 
down over the stencil. Any color of bronze can be used, also 
aluminum. For shading letters or edge-lining more liquid 
must be added. It dries within a few minutes after it is 
applied, and will not rub off. Your brushes should be washed 
immediately after you have finished the work. 




n 



DEVOS^' FLAT BRUSH LETTERS. 



II 



^ 



A COMPLETE set of one style of letters in all sizes is 
called by printers a "font." There are two styles of 
type which are much in use in the printing trade; one 
is called "De Vinne" and the other is "Old Style." As this 
style which we here illustrate is a sort of combination of both, 
we have contracted and combined the names and called it 
"Devos." Owing to lack of space the engraver has consider- 
ably reduced the size of the original copy. I should advise 
you to have much practice before you attempt to make these 
letters as small as here shown, a Soenneken stub-pen being 
the best for such small sizes. 
Rule two center lines one-half 
inch apart and one line one-fourth 
inch from the top and bottom. All 
of the strokes except the stem- 
strokes you are thoroughly familiar 
■with. You must practice this com- 
bination of strokes carefully as 
indicated from A, which is the initial stroke, to F, showing it 
finished. Holding your brush with a slight slant to the 
left, make the stroke A, being sure that the upper edge of 
your brush does not go above the top line; bring the brush 
down perfectly straight, so that the lower left end of the 
point does not quite touch the bottom line. Now raise your 
brush and to the top of stroke A add the fine upward short 
stroke B, which should be a trifle longer than here illustrated; 
then make the downward side stroke C and you will have the 
first part of the stem, as shown in D. Now make the base E, 
of the stem, by using both the flat side and edge of the brush, 
making the strokes as in- 
dicated by the arrows 1, 2. 
3, and we have the finished 
stroke F. 

It is necessary to keep 
your brush thoroughly clean 



1 



The "Devos" 



Stem Stroke. 



1 



,$n ■b'-u' ^ .0 f 



and pliable for these letters. Occasionally wash out the brush, 
then straighten the hairs out flat by pressing out the water, 
drawing the hairs through the thumb and fingers and then 
refilling with color or ink. After you have learned this 
stroke in the manner indicated you may make the stem-stroke 
by first making stroke B with an upward movement, then 
without lifting your brush continue the downward stroke. 
You are now thoroughly drilled and by following the arrows 
will be able to write the Devos alphabet. 

The best capital letters to correspond with the lower case 
Devos resemble the De Vinne font 
and are here illustrated. 'While 
you may find it rather difficult to 
make them in single strokes at 
first, with practice you will sub- 
sequently master them. If you 
have not acquired the knack of 
using your flat point for the end- 
points of the letters, you can take a small round brush for 
that purpose. 

You have now at your disposal an additional font of let- 
ters, the most popular of all, with which it is possible to 
produce a great variety of tickets and cards that will attract 
especial attention if carefully written. 

Many Western stores use what are called store mottoes. 
These are usually written on full-framed sheets, which are 
often attached to the upper cornice of the store shelving. 
Many stores in the East display these mottoes in windows 
on small 5x7-inch cards, using black on white, with red initial 

letters and a narrow mat of 
jt, contrast around the card. 

The wording of these mot- 
toes, to my own knowledge, 
is about the same all along 
the line during the last fif- 



hi ijf] ik I ■«. m'(0 p'.c| 'i^ 





cii- ww^^y '!$ % tm' 



"Devos" Flat Stroke Lower Case Letters. 

22 



FAIECHILD'S RAPID LETTEEER 



33 



A B C D E F 



G H IJ K L M 
N O P Q R S T 
U V WXYZ 



Fairchud Co, 



"Devos" 
teen years and I have originated many of them. A man going 
into a store in Phcenix, Ariz., or into Fresno, Cal., or Coving- 
ton, Ky., will be greeted by signs that sing the same old tunes: 

"We study to please." 

"If you don't see what you want ask for it." 

"This is the home of satisfaction," etc., etc. 

These signs may be very good still, but even the cuwboy 



Capitals. 

of the plains and the miner or charcoal burner of the mountain 
top want to hear a new variety of songs. They appreciate 
novelty and originality, too, and I would advise storekeepers 
for the coming year to take down the old, old chestnuts and 
make or order new sets, and even if they want the old wording 
to use new colors. You can convey the same ideas with dif- 
ferent wording. Below we offer a few suggestions. 



We appreciate 
jaour custom 
andiry our best 
to retain it. 



Ask to see 
anything, 

You are not obliged 
to spend one cent. 



FAIRCHUO Co. 



OUR CLERKS ARE ANXIOUS TO SHOW YOU 

GOODS. 
YOU PAY THEIR WAGES. 
WE ARE ALWAYS READY AND GLAD TO COR- 
RECT MISTAKES. 
ASK FOR ANYTHING; WE MAY HAVE IT. 
IF DISSATISFIED WITH ANYTHING, PLEASE 
REPORT AT THE OFFICE. 



fA.IRCHlLD Co. 



DON'T HURRY; BE SURE YOU ARE PLEASED 

WITH YOUR SELECTION. 
YOU NEED NOT BUY. THE FREEDOM OF THIS 

STORE IS EXTENDED TO YOU. 
QUALITY AND PRICE GO HAND IN HAND IN 

THIS STORE. 

OUR PRICES ARE IN THOROUGH ACCORD 

WITH THE VALUES WE GIVE. 




HOW -CAR 

AND 

SIGNS. 




", 



CLEARING SALE" SIGNS. 



mwmWm 



SOME of the simplest devices attract most attention it 
the card writer will combine mental exertion with his 
skill in lettering. Whatever can quickly be devised to 
attract attention is certainly most desirable. You can readily 
cut a circle of white or manila paper, letter it and fasten to 
any part of the inside of the window near the center. A 
quick method of making a large circle is to fasten the paper 
to the counter or floor with a small round nail, then tie a 
piece of soft cord to the nail and on the other end of the cord 
place a pencil by simply wrapping the cord around it a few 
times and holding it with your thumb and index finger. In 
this manner you can draw a circle any size you desire, as 
the cord will revolve on the nail as your arm moves along, 
but you must hold the string taut all the time. 

It you wish to make a border around the circle be sure 
to draw a second circular line in the same manner, and when 
using your brush keep inside of this line, thereby making the 
edge line of uniform thickness. For circles I prefer no edge 

line, although many card writ- 
ers use them. Many writers 

use the brush direct instead of 

first using a pencil. 

You can attract much at- 
tention to the window by mak- 
ing four manila paper circles, 

in each of which you letter the 

price; all to be of one color. 

Fasten the circles with little 

touches of paste to the inside 

of the glass, about three inches 

away from each corner of the 

window, then join them with 

two-inch-wide strips of white 

paper and in the center of the 

window place a large circle, a 

diamond shape, or a shield with 

the price large and very few 

words of reading matter, if any. 

Small pieces of gummed paper, 

such as are used by stamp 

collectors, can be bought at 10 

cents per thousand, and are 

good for fastening signs to 

window. 

The same idea can be car- 
ried out with shields or any 

fancy shape, first cutting out 

8ne with your scissors and FAcRCHrLo co. 






using the same pattern for outlining with a pencil. In this 
manner they will all be uniform in size. 

A plain band of paper with a circle, diamond shape, shield 
or other device pasted on its center, and fastened across the 
window, is a shape often used without any other device, and 
with neat lettering in modest size, can be used by stores cater- 
ing to fine trade. 

Banners of all shapes and sizes, such as one sees on the 
ribbonettes of political netting signs, are very attractive for 
the same purpose, but more difficult to design. 

With the knowledge you now possess of handling the brush, 
you should find no difficulty in lettering any kind of card for 
any purpose. The last half of February is usually devoted to 
"Clearing Sales." Here is an opportunity to exercise your 
brain for originality and to manipulate your brush for effect- 
iveness. No store is too high class to indulge in clearing 
sales. It Is simply a question of the method suitable to the 
general run of patronage of each store, but with the establish 
ment that caters to the "popu- 
lar trade" it is in reality a mat- 
ter of ingenuity to adopt win- 
dow cards which, in wording, 
color and display lettering, will 
quickly excite the interest of 
the transient, as well as create 
at first glance the impression 
that you are actually selling 
out this season's goods at re- 
duced prices. In the streets 
where there are many stores I 
have found that most of them 
make the great mistake of 
using only red-lettered signs, 
and some of the store fronts 
look disgustingly gory. 

They may attract the eye 
at first, but everybody else has 
red signs or red numbers, so 
that, to paraphrase the coon 
song, "all signs look alike to 
me." 

When you are ready for 
your sale, it Is always best to 
do something decidedly differ- 
ent than your immediate neigh- 
bor. It would be presumptuous 
for us to tell you exactly what 
you should do, so far as tlie 



CLEARING SALE 



4-. Any SuitM-.> 




OH! MAMMA LOOK'. 



24 



FAIECHILD'S EAPID LETTEKER 



35 



actual merchandise is concerned, but we can, by experience 
and years of study, tell you quite a lot about the kind of 
signs to use; how to letter them, and how, during the season 
of broken sizes and reduced stock, you can utilize a handful 
of goods in your window, with clever devices that often are 
quickly made and that require little lettering. 
Unique Window Signs. 

1^ HE first illustration is intended for a sale of boys' clothing. 
The top of the window is draped with common curtain 
lace, to the lower end of which the manila paper strip is fas- 
tened with glue, being iirst 
lettered and having a broad 
border. 

On each side of the win- 
dow fit the column strips, on 
which you first paste the 
diamond panels, which you will 
have lettered and bordered. 
The object of the lace Is to 
permit the daylight to enter, 
so that the store is not dark- 
ened. The strip across the 
bottom of the window must 
also be lettered and bordered 
where indicated. You can al- 
low three inches to project on 
each side, so that you can 
paste it down on the back of 
both columns. The higher you 
make the bottom strip, the 
fewer goods you need display. 

Clearing sales, in our 
estimation, are much more ef- 
fective if conducted in this 
manner instead of filling the 
window with all kinds of 
goods. The articles must be 
considerably reduced from 
original sales prices. This 
brings people into the store 
and effects other sales. 

Another Window Device. 

THE arrangement for the other window, as shown in the 
second illustration, is made as follows: The paper for the 
panel is translucent. This also prevents the store from being 
too dark during the day, and in addition shows up the letter- 
ing at night to good advantage. 

Take common white sheets of store paper, such as drug- 
gists generally use to wrap up small bottles. Place the sheets 
all on top of each other. Get a common wide, flat bristle 

'^ © iC S # 




brush, and after mixing some white Demar varnish very thin 
with turpentine, paint over the top sheet and place it on a 
rod to dry. Handle each sheet separately in this manner. 
The balance of the paper used for the columns and the bottom 
can be left white. The banner and the 90-cent panel are also 
translucent, made of two separate pieces glued together. All 
the lettering can be black, shaded in green or red. Making 
all the lettering medium green, shaded black, is also very 
effective. 

In both of these window closing-sale devices, it is not 

necessary to use lace or trans- 
lucent paper, as the top strip 
can be pasted on about eighteen 
inches from the upper part of 
the window, in this manner 
admitting enough daylight. The 
effect, however, is not so grati- 
fying to the eye of the ob- 
server. A striking color com- 
bination is light yellow paper, 
with the lettering all in black, 
with the exception of the first 
letter in each word, which 
should be red. The borders 
should be red. 

An Attractive Alphabet. 

F'OR this lesson, rule your 
center lines y^ inch apart 
and also one line % inch from 
the top and bottom. All your 
strokes, which are to be uni- 
form in thickness, except at 
the bottom of the letters e, h, 
t and y, are to be lettered with 
the chisel end of the brush. 
As this font is rather difficult 
to learn at first, we would ad- 
vise the student to make the 
strokes with a lead pencil, 
carefully following the arrows in the order indicated on copy. 
These letters are designed to harmonize with the capital 
block letters. Though they are not generally used where there 
is considerable writing on one card, you will find it a very 
handy style to use, either in contrast with other lettering or 
where you want to emphasize a word standing between other 
reading matter. For this purpose such words are written in 
red or contrasting color, and when not black prove doubly 
effective. 



17 e*- 2. 



\ e 





^^ ^ m m 



^5 T^ "s* gi^ ~^~^ 



'/■^ 





SINGLE STROKE FLAT-BRUSH CAPITALS. 



THE simplest forms of flat-brush, single-stroke capitals 
are represented in the engraving shown below. They 
are featured in a modified style of regular script and 
you should have no difficulty in writing these from the start. 
The directions of the strokes are at the discretion of the 
student, who has had enough guidance in the preceding 
lessons to enable him to use his own judgment in the con- 
struction of these characters. 

For quick work these capitals cannot be equaled by any 
other flat-stroke series. When they are written straight the 
lower case letters should also be straight, but it is much 
quicker to write them slanting. 

Many writers use this style for price lists, using slanting 



numbers to correspond. 
1% inches high. 



When you first practice, make them 



Backgrounds for Spring Cards. 

THE most attractive backgrounds for the large; sized window 
cards for spring are what the trade calls "tints." Among 
these are heliotropes, nile-green, chamois, pale pink, lemon, etc. 
Such cards, with their refined, delicate tones, can be lettered in 
any color or combination, and should be mounted in mats of 
white or darker shades of the tint — the "helio" to have a 
purple or lilac mat, the nile to have a medium green, the 
lemon a buff mat, etc. 

With such backgrounds and frames the use of white let- 



U "0 llTcKS/ Z & 



FAIRCf^fLO Co. 



FAIECHILD'S RAPID LETTEEER 



27 



terlng, combined with gold or colored edge-lines, is probably 
the most suggestive of spring. 

Show Card White. 

THERE is no difficulty in applying white if it is properly 
prepared, and it is worth the trouble, as nothing equals 
it for what artists term "embellishment" or for fine decorative 
effects. Years of experience have finally demonstrated to the 
writer that flake-white is the most advantageous and least 
expensive for show cards. All professional writers use it. 
Paint supply stores sell it in a dry powder in any quantity 
desired. 



take out one ball, grind it and mix it thoroughly on your 
slab with the spatula, holding it fiat, using at least one-halt 
of its length while moving it in circular motion and sideways 
right and left, frequently gathering it by using the edge of the 
spatula and adding only enough water to make a mass as 
thick as heavy syrup. If you devote five minutes to grind- 
ing each ball smooth you will have a perfect paint. By first 
dipping your brush into water you can fill your brush with 
thick white and mix up the brushful on the stone, and you 
can letter on the darkest or any light surface with one ap- 
plication. 




Preparing White. 

BOY first-grade clear gum-arabic, filling a bottle half with 
gum and cold water. In a couple of days you will have 
a clear mucilage to use as a "size" or binder, which will 
prevent the white from rubbing off unless it is moistened. 
You should mix your paint on a marble or slate slab or a 
piece of glass. 




For lettering large characters first outline them with a 
small brush with the white, and to fill in use a soft wide 
brush, which should be liberally loaded with as much color 
as it will hold, going over the spaces only once, so that it 
dries out smoothly and no background will show through. 

If you have extra large letters or prices in white, it is 
more satisfactory first to mark them on white paper, then 




The Spattila. 

BUY a spatula 6 to 8 inches long, such as druggists use for 
mixing salves. One can be bought suitable for our pur- 
pose for 35 cents in eastern cities. 

In mixing the white, take a heaping teaspoonful of the 
dry powder and carefully add just enough mucilage so that 
you can mix it into a round mass or ball, which will be 
about half solid. In a tumbler half filled with cold water 
place this and as many balls as you care to prepare for re- 
serve white. Now if you wish to use some of your white 




cut them out with scissors or a mat-knife and paste them 
down. 

Novel Window Cards. 
''PHE alert clerk will begin to plan designs for attracting 
1 spring trade, and though old ideas for "Advance Sales" 
and "Spring Openings" are generally repeated, they should 
be presented in a new manner by the wide-awake card writer. 
Whether it be in the shape of card, the style of mat, 
border, lettering or color combination, it can and should be 
done. A little extra thought is the only expense. 




SIMPLE SHADING OF LETTERS. 



FOR some kinds of signs shading not only improves the 
appearance of the lettering but emphasizes the words 
which have the letters shaded. 
Shading is used to produce the effect of thickness, shadow 
or reflection. The simplest method is Indicated on our illus- 
tration; all the shadings are marked with the letter "S." The 
shading should he made in single flat-brush strokes. Thin 
letters which have only one-quarter-inch width strokes are 
often shaded with brushes one inch wide. The most popular 
shadings for black lettering are in gold, various tints of 
gray, red or blue. The design below shows the proportion of 
a style much in vogue for card work in its simplest and most 



When you shade the alphabets shown, be sure to practice 
with various sized brushes, using a medium-sized brush first, 
and finally make the second line lower case alphabet with a 
flat brush one-half or three-quarter inch in width, and the 
shading likewise. Make the capitals fully 2Vi inches high 
when using the wide brushes, then practice with the smaller 
ones. This will give you command of the brush and make 
shading mere play when compared to lettering. It is ad- 
visable to use various colors when you practice shading, as 
it not only relieves the monotony of the task, but gives you 
the proper contrast in color comparison and harmony, which 
you can best acquire by this method. 



if Hfl ^^ I 





1i»IJ%tfni# 




practical form. The beginner is cautioned to mix enough 
color each time so that the shading does not vary in tone 
or depth of coloring, as is the case especially with gray. 

In order quickly to learn shading, rule lines one inch 
apart. Make the practice strokes, which we will designate 
as the body, with a medium-sized pointed "rigger," in black 
To avoid mishaps the learner should allow the body to dry 
before putting in the shading. Now, using the same sized . 
brush, provide your shading color and make your shadow 
strokes quickly. Shading can be done much more rapidly 
than lettering, because, the body being there, it acts as a 
guide for the eye, and a slight variation either in the thick- 
ness of the strokes or the distance from the body is not very 
Important on show card work, except for a permanent sign. 



SPRING WINDOW CARDS. 

On the opposite page we illustrate various styles of 
artistic lettering for spring window cards. The characters 
are in plain black on white to bring out the formations more 
clearly to the learner. All of these letters were made with 
flat brush strokes, some in single and others in double out- 
line, and then filled in. In the previous lesson we mentioned 
the best color combinations for such cards. When white 
cards are used with black letters the mats should be colored. 
Gold letters with any colored edge line may also be used to 
good advantage. 

It requires but little ingenuity greatly to enhance the 
effect of the preceding designs by placing artificial flowers 



28 



FAIKCHILD'S RAPID LETTEEEE 



29 




and leaves in the center of the initial letters, fastening offer the student an exceptional opportunity to learn design- 
them down with thick glue, which should be left exposed ing. spacing and the artistic swing so much required in prop- 
until it is very taclty and the flowers will not come oft. "We erly perfecting this graceful letter. 




show these cards in the floral frames to offset the plain The introduction of the lettering into the curve of the 

appearance of the black lettering. capital "C" in the last card shows one method of utilizing 

The letter "S" is prominently displayed in various styles space in a somewhat crowded "layout," but in no way impairs 

both in the capitals and lower case on these cards, which the »rtistic effect desired. 





SHOW-CARD FLAT BRUSH TEXT. 



A SIMPLIFIED form of Old English text and a perversion 
of the Bradley Series has evolved a font called Show- 
Card Text. 
Each of the few prominent card writers has his own 
specialty in forming this alphabet. Some fonts are so elabo- 
rate and grotesque that it is a task to know what they mean. 
Our artist has adopted the easiest and simplest forms for 
both reading and writing. This style is much in use for ini- 
tials in panels, and most of the oilcloth or outdoor signs 
nowadays have three or four lines of Text lettering, contain- 
ing the body matter, which stands out in marked contrast with 
the bold display letters over it. As this series is also much 
easier to write than the various straight-edged fonts and re- 



quires little time, it is of decided importance to make use 
of it. The original designs from which these engravings are 
reduced were lettered with a number nine sable pointed rig- 
ger, with the point always chisel shaped. When letters are 
more than two inches in height, it Is advisable to use the 
regular flat brush. To suit the convenience of the lay-out we 
have placed the letter J at the end of the capitals. 

Floral Price Tickets. 

FOR window display, price tickets with flowers make a 
forceful magnet, attracting trade for spring merchandise. 
Our crude illustrations are sufl5ciently developed to convey 
an impression of the general effect, which will be greatly 



H I K C m Tl 



fAlRCMfLoQo, 



30 



FAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETTEKER 



31 



Intensified if you make the tickets to match the window 
card, as previously explained. Our distribution of lettering, 
the contrast of the various lay-outs, also offers ample oppor- 
tunity for practicing simple and easily read price tickets. By 
allowing your leaves or flowers to project beyond the edge 
of the card, being careful to glue them about in the same 
position on each card, besides attaching them in the same 
relative position on each article displayed, it will greatly 
strengthen the uniformity of your entire decorative plan. 







FA/RCH 'LD Co. 



Our first ticket has no border and shows another method 
for utilizing text letters. 

The card with a rose should have a gold edge line or 
should match the color of the flower. 

The daisy ticket would look well with a solid yellow or 
gold border. 

The last card can have the border ruled in violet or gold 
with an ordinary stub pen and, by crossing the corners, mak- 
ing a neat panel. 

The position of the flowers and the style of ruling may 
be changed to suit your fancy, but unless you are an expert 




in making scrolls, you should confine yourself to plain, neat 
borders, which always look refined. The appearance of all 
of these tickets is greatly enriched if you use cards with a 
gold bevel edge. Most beginners commit the serious error of 
trying to write freakish, fancy letters and numbers, but you 
should strive always to make your characters plain on price 
cards, so that the possible customer, who momentarily looks 
into your window, can quickly grasp the price (at least). 

Embossed flowers, which can be bought in sheets at most 
toy or stationery stores, can also be used to good advantage. 



appearing less refined, however, than the hand-painted tickets, 
which are rather expensive. Another method which is being 
exploited by some of the card trade is to emboss beveled cards 
and large panels with flowers in white and then painting 
these by hand or with an air-brush. Still another and most 
expensive and difficult method is to use plastic effects, which 
are made of a composition and in a manner that we shall 
exploit in later lessons. 

Small flowers, such as buttercups, violets, daisies and 







numerous others, can be bought at very low prices. Only one 
of these need be used on the smaller tickets, and one in each 
corner on those of medium size. By ruling lines in color or 
gold to connect, a neat, pleasing card can quickly be produced 
at trifling expense. 

FLITTER. 

Many card writers use flitter on spring signs, but we 

advise you to use it only for extraordinary occasions, it at 

all, and especially for night display or winter holiday signs. 

Flitter can be bought in a great variety of colors, including 




Durable 



^AtFl CM/LD era. " 

pale gold, deep gold, various greens, purple, fine gilt, silver, 
copper, etc. If properly used a small quantity will produce 
very attractive results In decorative scrolls or letter outlining. 
The best method of applying it is to take liquid glue, which 
must be carefully thinned with water or vinegar so that it 
will flow; then immediately pour over flitter, sliding It In 
liberal quantities over the wet lines by moving the card so 
that the flitter adheres and then slipping off the surplus. 
The card should be gently tapped at the back, so that all 
loose flitter falls off. 




LOWER CASE SHOW-CARD TEXT. 



FOR practice, rule lines 1% incties apart, then for tlie 
body of the letter place two lines % inch apart in the 
center. Use a No. 7 pointed rigger with the flat chisel 
point, and make single-stroke movements. For smaller letters 
the size of copy use a No. 5 rigger, and you must keep your 
brush-point flat. 

A retailer attracted a crowd with a white show card hav- 
ing a heavy black border, lettered in show-card text: "In 
memoriam; they were stylish one month ago, but, alas! we 
marked them at first 85 cents, and here to-day we bury cost — 



yours at 40 cents each." They were good quality but un- 
desirable patterns. 

Harmonious Colorings. 

A MEDIUM green mat, mounted with violet-colored flowers 
and green leaves. A nile green background; white letters 
with gold edgelines. 

Lilac mat; violet flowers; white background, with purple 
letters. 

Green mat with small moss roses; heliotrope background, 
white letters, violet edgelines. 




as 



1' A I IM ' TI I I. I ) ' S I? A r I D 1. E T T E li E K 



33 




S-tylistv 
ybr business 

Suit qs. 






02)ear 



(§ti%a 




F^l^CM/LCt oij 



f^-^l^i^HILCt CVl 



Flowered Cards. 



illustrations of simple brush work, with the wording the 



'pWO more price cards for clothing are shown above on this same on each set of two. in order to show the contrast be- 

1 page to illustrate the use of heavier ruled borders, with an tween show-card text and regular lettering, 

agreeable variation in the formation of the lower case letter In the third card and the one opposite, use red or gold 

"y," having a graceful stem swing. The small dollar signs for the letters A, S, N and F. 



hat)c blossomed 
these 

50^ 



fi^lKCHli^O Co 



April Showers 

have blossomed 

these 

Neckwearriowers 




Yaikch/i-o G. 



which are illustrated on both cards, should always conform R, W and S on the next two cards should also be in con- 

with the position of the numerals. trasting colors, as well as O in the compound word Slip-Ons. 

Properly to convey the use of text lettering we show four These cards are intended as examples of proper lay-outs. 



Ifou can laugh at the 

RainyWeather 

if jyoa wear our 

5iip^^7to45. 



fXlRCH II li C'll 



Hou catv lau^K at the 

Hjaitty 
Weather 

'\j xipvcvdoax our 
4 Z to* 15. 



tXiRCH/LO e<j^ 




AND 

SIGN 




LESSONS IN DOUBLE-STROKE LETTERING. 



Show Card Capitals. 

ALL alphabets that require two or more strokes to finish 
each straight or curved part of a letter are called 
double-stroke alphabets. I would advise the learner 
to use no ruler or compass for measuring the width of letters 
on the "lay-out," but it is desirable and instructive to measure 
the widths of the various letters of your copy before you write 
them, for comparison only. You may mark out In pencil or 
chalk all outlines as carefully as possible, over the lay-out, 
before you outline with a brush. The best card-writers do this 
for particular work. Any changes that are made as you go 
inside or beyond the lead pencil marks are readily wiped off 
with a rag or erased with your sponge-rubber after the color 
is thoroughly dry. For obtaining uniform height in all the 
letters it is necessary to rule two lines. You should practice 
all of the following lessons in various sizes, always beginning 
with letters at least two inches high, and after you have writ- 
ten them by constantly referring to the copy you must prac- 
tice writing from memory, and in this manner you will be- 
come so expert that you can readily create all kinds of exag- 
gerated forms of any alphabet by making the letters more 
slender or wider and thicker, etc. Your brushes should be 
frequently rinsed in water as you proceed with the work. In 
this manner no part of the brush is ever clogged and the 
hairs are thoroughly pliable, responding to the lightest touch, 
and the work can thus be rapidly accomplished and the out- 
lines will always be clear-cut and what we call "swingy." 

Properly to practice this alphabet, rule lines 1% inches 
apart, using a small-sized pointed rigger, always well loaded 
with medium thick fluid, and with slightly flattened point. 
This font is much used in the East, and is readily combined 
with lower case Devos when desired. The arrows indicate 
the succession of the brush strokes with the letters only 
partly filled in, which better enables us to emphasize their 
construction. 

The central stroke in the letter A is best accomplished 
by making the lower stroke (marked 4) first; then make the 
line above it, which our engraver did not mark in the copy. 
This double curve-stroke is a condensed horizontal form of 
the endings or tail in the letters Q and R. 

In the letter B the upper loop 3 ends slightly above the 
center of the stem strokes 1 and 2, and the lower loop-strokes 
4 and 6 project considerably further to the right. 

The center strokes in letters F and E must not be placed 



too high above the center of the stem strokes or they will 
look unbalanced; those in the copy are just right. 

Most learners experience difficulty in forming the G, but 
if you will carefully make the strokes in the order noted and 
not make No. 1 stroke and No. 5 as one single stroke — which 
most learners try to do — you will soon make a good-looking 
letter. 

The parallel lines in the letter H are one-eighth inch 
wider apart on the bottom than on top, and when properly 
joined by the horizontal curved strokes form a pretty letter 
on a firm footing. 

In the J, stroke 2 should be made straight, and after 
it is joined by stroke 3 the little hump should be made by a 
short downward touch from stroke 2. 

In the L, stroke 2 should have a slight curve to the left, 
scarcely noticeable where it joins stroke 3, where it is almost 
straight. 

Stroke 3 in the letter K should end just below the center, 
and stroke 4 must not begin too high up on stroke 3. 

The center of M must be considerably above the bottom 
line, and stroke 4 must be exactly parallel with stroke 1. 

The upper curved stroke in the "tail" of Q should be 
made first; also, in the letter R, stroke 4 will best gauge the 
outward swing of the "tail" when made first. 

The lower points of the circles in P and R should touch 
one-third from the bottom of the upright strokes 2. 

S should have its upper circle considerably smaller than 
the lower one. In making this letter imagine you intend to 
make a figure 8. Some teachers prefer to make stroke 2 be- 
fore stroke 1, but others maintain that if stroke 2 should bo 
made too low by mistake, the error cannot be rectified and 
the center body would be too thick; the writer agrees with 
them. 

When making parts 5, 6 and 7 in the character, etc., the 
upper strokes should always be made first. 

Oilcloth Paint. 

FOR red; Take vermilion, dry or otherwise, and mix it 
with Demar varnish, so that it is thoroughly massed into 
a thick, almost jelly-like consistency, then use turpentine to 
thin it, but rather add too little than too much of the latter. 
This color will dry with a glossy surface. 

For black: Use ivory black, ground in japan. Thin this 
carefully with turpentine. When this dries it will be dull 
finish. If you want it glossy you can add some Demar var- 
nish to your mixture. Another mixture which is used by 
most sign painters is Ivory black, ground in japan, thinned 



FAIRCHII.D'S RAPID LETTEKER 



35 



with a mixture of half boiled linseed oil and turpentine. This 
dries with a partial gloss. 

For temporary gold oilcloth signs which you want to 
use outdoors about one month, you may use bronze liquid, 
with any color of bronze. 

Another gold finish for temporary signs that will look 
well outdoors for two months' use, and would last nine 
months without tarnishing for indoor use: Use a good quality 
of varnish, thin it with turpentine, so that it is not too easy 
flowing. First paint your letters. If they are to have edge 
lines you may do the work rather carelessly, as you will 
afterward straighten them out when you apply the black edge 
lines. When the varnish is very tacky take dry bronze, 
which you spread over the lettering with white cotton batting, 
which you must round up Into a fairly loose ball shape. By 
gently moving this across the tacky surfaces at first till they 
are all covered with bronze, and then using a little more 
pressure, moving the cotton ball in all directions, and sweep- 
ing the surplus bronze to the next letter, you will find you 
have a nice job, done quickly. 

Preparing Oilcloth. 

BEFORE you paint an oilcloth sign, you should rub the sur- 
face with Sapolio or Bon Ami, by using a wet rag. Then 
wash clean with water and dry with a rag. This eliminates 
all grease, and your oil colors and bronzes will not run 
streaky. 



Permanent Gold Signs. 

PERMANENT oilcloth gold signs that will last several years 
outdoors, and forever indoors, are made in the following 
manner: From a sign painter buy ^ pint Fat-oil-size. This 
is rather thick; you must apply this just as you would the 
varnish, but use a bristle brush and spread it out as thin 
as possible. This size should be left on about 16 to 20 hours 
before it is thoroughly tacky and ready for the gold leaf. 
For the borders you can buy the gold-leaf in strip rolls, which 
you unravel and press down the gold-leaf as you go along, 
and then wipe over with loose cotton. For the letters you 
will buy gold-leaf in books. Take the complete book, open 
the first page, holding the back of the book toward yourself, 
with both hands. Press the gold over the sizing which you 
wish to cover, and it will leave the paper. Take the next leaf 
and continue till you have an entire letter covered, when you 
must wipe over the leaf gently at first and then more firmly. 
If you see small spots uncovered you simply gather the loose 
leaf by wiping it together with the cotton, and going over the 
open spots. For narrow parts of letters you must cut a 
quantity of pages or books into strips somewhat wider than 
needed. Of course, gold-leaf signs are expensive and trouble- 
some, and unless you have a separate room away from the 
store, I would advise you never to use gold-leaf, as the par- 
ticles blow all over the store and into your stock, and It la 
almost impossible to get rid of them. 





HOW -CAR 

AND 




SYSTEMATIC '^LAYOUTS/' 



To obtain a satisfactory result in the style and quality of 
lettering you require skill in the handling of your 
brush, but no matter how artistic your work may be, It 
will fall short of the mark for which it is intended unless your 
layout is correct. Your words must be so arranged that the 
most important points are brought into proper prominence, 
either by display or by separation which will emphasize them. 
This can also be acconiplished by lettering some words larger 
than others, using color on initial letters or entire words; 
underlining words or lines in black, colors or gold, or in using 
a different font of letters, as, for instance, using Text combined 
with Devos. When you have become thoroughly expert it will 
be shown by using one font of letters throughout. This makes 
the card de luxe, so seldom seen. 

The first card, which was displayed by a retailer who 
sold only clothing, shows a desperate attempt at funny lay- 
out. Its funny flavor is considerably lost, besides perhaps con- 
veying the impression that the storekeeper sold fishing tackle. 
The card next to it, being properly balanced in its layout, is 
more apt to bring results, even though the execution of the 
lettering is only fair. 

The latter part of May is a good time to call attention to 
bathing requisites. We present three layouts of a happily 
worded card that should be acceptable wherever swimming 
togs are sold. 

The first card, aside from being sloppily written, is ex- 
tremely faulty in layout. If the word "Bathing" were placed 
more to the left and the word "Suits" to the right underneath 
it, so that the capital S would come under the letter h, its 
•worst fault would be corrected. The word "for" should be to 
the extreme left, and the other two lines transferred as far 
as possible to the right. 

The next card, though well balanced in lettering and lay- 
out, is faulty because it shows too many styles of lettering. 
The words "Bathing Suits" should be of one font of letters, to 
convey the idea of one object. 

The third card, having the same wording as the others, 
all lettered in perfect harmony in the same series, forms a 
marked contrast to the other two. It is an excellent example 
of brush work and correct layout, producing what may be 
justly termed a successful advertising window card. 

A little humor properly applied on a showcard is never 
amiss. The poetical pun on the next card is certainly sug- 
gestive to those who can afford the luxuries of the boating 
3eason. The first layout, though not extremely faulty, is very 
much improved in the distribution of the wording as shown 



in our last card. Double edge-lines on cards are usually ac- 
ceptable, and the extra work is worth while. A favorite style 
is to have one set of lines heavier than the other, or to make 
one square in black and the other in gold or color. Cards for 
the outing season are doubly forcible when an illustration — 
which may be a cut-out magazine picture or a glued-on figure 
— is used. 

We are at present mostly concerned in discussing letter- 
ing, and as we become further interested will give illustra 
tions of cards with marine subjects and other topics adapted 
for the "outing season." 

Pen Lettering. 

THE \aried practice which we have thus fa-r suggested with 
the brush will enable you to take up pen-lettering with 
much greater confidence and facility than if we had started 
with pen-work. The smaller-sized letters are more readily writ- 
ten with pens and can nicely be combined with brush-work. 
The German pens seem to be most in demand, as they are 
better tempered than others and last longer. They come in 
various sizes so that you can letter from one-sixteenth to 
three-sixteenths thick. All of these pens make hairlines By 
holding the pen upright on its point. 

These pens can be bought in most stationery or art stores 
at trifling expense. In their manufacture there is always a 
certain amount of grease left on their surface. For this reason 
it is necessary to hold the point one second over a small flame 
by lighting a match and quickly withdrawing the point, and 
then carefully wiping it clean with a cloth. The water color 
which you will use for lettering will then readily be picked up 
by the pen. 

Many of the high class stores never allow the use of brush 
work on any of their cards. There is an indisputable refine- 
ment in the appearance of perfect pen-work which cannot 
be attained with a brush. The next cards will show pen-work. 

Good Advice 

Never display a window-card unless it is clear. 

Be sure to remove all lead-pencil marks from your card 
with a sponge rubber before you display the card. 

Two styles of lettering on a card — one for display and the 
other for "body matter" — are usually enough. 

Two colors on the average reading card are better than 
three. 

Black lettering on a white card can draw trade if you 
say something worth while. 



F A I R C H I L ir S RAPID L E T T E E E R 



37 



Fishing reels for fishing? 
Real fishing for fish? 

or 

Fishing Clothes? 

We have a litter of 

the latter 

Cool Light and Durable. 



/\4/>«?C'V/^^ CO- 



Fishing reels for fishing? 
Real fishing for fish*? 



or 



Fishing Clothes? 

We have a litter of the latter 
Cool, Light and Durable 



FAf/iC^/4-£> Cc 



Tis Swimming Time 

and 

togs of merry hue 
of stj'hsh outline too 

are ready here fory^ou 

Bathing 
Suits X 

Ton 

Males and 
Females 



fAf^c^^u:^ Cff 



'TIS 

Swimming^ 

Time 

and to^s of mern/ fine 

qfsij/lisk outline ioo 
are readq kerejbri/oa 

Bathing 
(Suits 

for Males 
and Females 



f^.f^f, ^a Co. 



TisSwimmin^Time 

and togs of merry hue, 
of stjlish outline too, 
are readj here for jou. 

Jatliing Suits 

for 

Males and females 



June 

A "fine month to 

""P°°" Yacht in^ 

Togs 

Newest Ideas, Easy Prices 



fA //? C f^/d. C=i Co . 



- June- 

A fine month to "spoon 

Yachting Togs 

Newest Ideas, 
Easy Prices. 



/^//^C/V/^-O CO 




PEN LETTERED SHOW CARDS, 



Lettering and Ruling Pens. 

THERE are eleven sizes of the German Soennecken pens, 
running from number 1, which makes a stroke about 
3-lG inch wide, to number 6, which makes a coarse, ordi- 
nary pen stroke. Card writers use numbers 1, 1%, 2, 2% and 
3, and any finer stem strokes are made with ordinary pens. 
Other pens with two and three points are used for ruling bor- 
ders on small tickets or for underlining words. 

Any fluids can be used with these pens, provided that they 
are not too thick. Those that dry the quickest are the most 
desirable. Some writers use penholders that are especially 
made for this purpose, being six-cornered near the pen end to 
prevent the fingers from slipping, but any ordinary penholder 
will do. 

The cards displayed on the oppo- 
site page have been considerably re- 
duced from the original sizes in which 
they were written, being exactly three 
times smaller. 

By following our Instructions as to 
your spacing of lines you will be ena- 
bled to use the proper sized pens for 
practice. In the beginning you will 
think it disagreeable that the pen does 
not respond or slide so readily as a 
brush, but soon you will become accus- 
tomed to the trick of keeping the entire 
point always flat on the paper, and you will observe the iden- 
tical movements for your pen strokes as with the brush. In 
the beginning you can finish all of the points on each side of 
your stem strokes with an ordinary pen, but after a while you 
can do this work with the stub pen Just as you learned with 
the brush. Your fluid, if too gummy, should be frequently 
stirred and thinned with water, and the pen occasionally 
wiped clean, especially after you have finished using it. 

After a fair amount of practice you will write neat cards. 
For the first, second, fifth and sixth cards, rule spaces 8% 
Inches by lOV^ inches. The other two cards are 10% inches 
by 12 inches. 

For the lettering space layout of the first card, rule lines 
1% inches apart for the letter B and use a ruler for the long 
stem stroke with a number 1 pen. For the small capitals, E, 
L, T, S, rule two lines % inch apart, and use a No. 1% pen. 
The lower case letters in the next two lines are V2 inch above 
the line for all stem letters except the letter F, which is % 
inch shorter. The space below the lines is i/4 inch. Use a 
No. 2% pen for these slanting letters, being careful to have 
them slant in the same direction. The prices written with 



RULIH6 PENS 




SHOW CARD PENS 



number 1% pens are % inch high. The small strokes in the 
cent and dollar signs should be made with a finely pointed 
pen. 

Be sure to leave plenty of white space all around your 
cards, laying out everything with a soft pencil as a guide, and 
be careful when the card is dry freely to use your sponge 
rubber to clean the card of all pencil marks. The wording of 
these cards is especially for the summer season, and the most 
is said with the fewest words. 

Clean Gold Edge Lines. 

TO obtain clean, even edges for gold signs that have no 
painted background, it is necessary simply to lay on your 
size very carefully by first outlining each letter with a sign- 
painter's brush. Such brushes have the hair at least IM 
inches long and about 3-16 inch wide, 
with a point. If you wish small block 
letters use a flat-pointed brush. 

Mix your size for edge-line as 
thin as possible; use a mahlstick on 
which to rest your hand while painting 
the edge-line, after the manner of sign 
painters; then fill in the body of the 
letter with a wide brush, spreading out 
the size thin and being sure not to 
touch the outer edges of the sized edge- 
lines. When you rub off your surplus 
gold with cotton it is as clean on the 
edge as any letter can be. 

Gold Lettering on Glass. 

FOR glass be sure thoroughly to clean it where you intend 
to letter inside, finally wiping with cotton and alcohol. 
Mark out your sign on the outside with chalk. If yon as an 
amateur want a perfect result, paint your sign in black water- 
color, in which you should put a little mucilage on the outside 
of the glass. Dissolve a thimbleful of pulverized white gelatin 
in a pint of boiling water. Spread this liberally across the 
inside of the glass where you cleaned it, allowing it to drip 
down. Then lay on your gold with a loose gold-leaf "tip," a 
brush device especially made for that purpose. 

After this is dry you can follow the outside watercolor 
sign, which shows clearly through the gold, by lettering on 
the back of the gold inside of the window. 

Use drop black ground in japan, which you can carefully 
thin so that it does not flow too easily, by using a little var- 
nish. When this is thoroughly dry — preferably the next day — 
wipe off all the surplus gold with cotton and water or alcohol 
and water, and clean off the outside sign from the window 
with a little warm water. Then back letters with asphaltum. 



35 2,2k 



F A 1 1.' C; H I L D ' S RAPID L E T T p] K E R 



39 



^^ of all .^^ofAers 
tojxt am/ ivaist 

5 0*t„*2?p 



FAIKCIf/LD Co. 



Flannel 






^easide^'Vear 

Z-lU.to^C>. 



CL 



(§u2£ 



FA/KCM/ID Co. 



Get a Head 

and i^e ca/z stippli/ the. 








to 



FAIflC/i'ip Co. 



^rien Duck & Serge 

and ^/l of/tcr accessories 
cd /ecLSo/zaSle prices 



FAiftcwio a>. 



S^^t 



^omfbri 



d. 



e 



^ai n coats 
*7.*9. '12.15. 



FA/flC/Z/lC Co. 



\ov rlen and Boy5 

w e furnish 

cind Knee Breeches 
afeverg descriptLOrL. 



fAI/tCMUO Co 




AND 

IGNS. 



PRICE TICKETS FOR HATS AND SHOES. 




SUCH tickets should preferably be made in medium sizes, 
as the larger kinds divert too much attention from the 
shape of the article shown. We display a few simple 
designs that are practical and which can be readily made by 
any clerk. They are capable of changes in color combinations 
and lettering, just as other cards. Those here shown are en- 
graved in the actual sizes intended for use and combine pen 
and brush lettering. 

Some stores use one shape all the time, others change 
for each style season ; some have the same card but change 
the color every month, and others change the style with each 
window trim. 

If you desire only a few of one design you should take 
tracing paper, following the lines of the design in this book. 
Then place a piece of carbon paper, smooth side down, on 
your piece of card, and by tracing over the lines on the trac- 
ing paper with a hard lead pencil you can quickly transfer 
the pattern and then cut out the design with a pair of scis- 
sors, being sure for the first card to cut very close to the 
outlines. Always use your first cut-out card as a pattern for 
the rest, running a sharp-pointed pencil around the edges. 
holding the pencil point perpendicularly. 

For shoe signs, the small tabs underneath are part of the 
card in one piece, and are usually attached by placing them 
through the front toe loops of the laces or fastening them 
to small pins having a round spring coil into which the tab 
fits, the pin point being first slipped into the top edge of the 
shoe lining, so that only the little coil can be seen. 

For hat signs it is advisable to cut off the tabs and paste 
on longer ones by putting a dab of glue in the center of the 
back of each ticket. When they are perfectly dry, you slip 
the tab behind the hatband and the entire sign shows clearly 
in front, besides being held in proper position. 

Several of the popular-priced hatters have adopted the 
use of an oblong price card 2 by 3 inches. These cards are 
of rough tinted paper and usually bear the firm's trademark 
and the price printed. 

Without presumption we can assure our readers that any of 
the tickets shown on the opposite page will intensify the 
beauty of their window display. The designs are readily cop- 
ied, but are especially drawn for the purpose of explaining to 
retailers a method of making large quantities at trifling cost. 

Making Tickets at Small Cost. 

AN engraving can be made of -any of these designs on which 
only the dollar sign remains, so that after the ticket is 
printed your card-writer can insert any reading matter or 



price. Any photo-engraver will make a "line engraving" from 
these designs for one dollar. Suppose you desire 500 or 1,000 
each of the designs numbered 1, 5, 9 and 10, printed at one 
time; your printer would cut 1,000 cards 5M, inches square, 
on which he could print the four designs at one printing each 
time he feeds one card to the press. There would be plenty 
of space between each design, so that he could cut them in 
bulk with a machine and deliver them in small square cards, 
each having only one design. 

Four-ply card is heavy enough. The printer cuts the 
cards into squares and can print black on all colors of card 
without man-ing the effect, besides making a contrast, so the 
design will be black and the card colored. Should you, for 
instance, desire all your cards light green, the printing can 
be in olive or dark green; heliotrope cards can be printed in 
purple; a buff card with brown printing would make an at- 
tractive showing. What is called "railroad" cardboard, which 
comes in a large variety of colors. Is good to use for making 
these tickets. 

When you get these cards from the printer, cut out the 
designs with a pair of scissors, either close to the printed 
outlines or by leaving a margin of from ^,8 to 1-16 of an inch 
all around the design, which adds to their beauty. 

When large quantities are used, a die which has one edge 
very sharp is made to cut through about fifty cards at a time. 
so that within a few minutes 1,000 cards are cut. Our designs 
can be made more attractive by shading them in colors or 
using gold bronze where desired. 

Designs 2 and 3 are much used by hatters in the East. 
Their simplicity makes the price quickly apparent to the busy 
throng. Numbers 8, 9 and 10 make especially good hat-tickets, 
but all of these shapes may be used for either hats or shoes. 
Designs 11 and 12 can be further decorated by first cutting 
out tlie outside shape of card, then cutting out the inner ban- 
ner of contrasting colored paper, cutting six at a time by 
first marking the design on the top sheet. Then paste on 
your panels, outline them with a brush — any color you desire 
— and then letter. 

A number of hatters use an engraving of any staple-shaped 
derby. The drawing is always in outline and about the same 
size as our heart design No. 1. The price is lettered in the 
body of the hat-shaped card. A Bowery hatter displays a 
bannered card like No. S, and on top, with both arms out- 
stretched, resting on the points of the banner, is a picture of a 
popular actress, attracting much attention thereby. Many 
stores use a square card having a projecting embossed oval, 
with trademark, and the nrice is lettered below this. 



41) 



FAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETTERBE 



41 







1 I 






1 I 




PEN LETTERED WINDOW CARDS. 



VARIETY of styles and sizes of lettering are embodied in 
thf! four designs shown. The inner borders on the cards 
are made with a brush. To make corner ornaments uni- 
form, use tracing paper and transfer the design by first tracing 
with a soft pencil, reversing it, and then follow with a hard 
pencil the lines which show through the back. 

The smaller your letters the more noticeable is any irreg- 




^ 7[ Book 

^J{ Shady Nook 

and a f-JammocU 

'pye /uire i/icm at prices 
to salt eyerj/ dema/i^ j 

L - ^ 



/=A/fiCHUp> Co- 



r 



i 



Get into the shade 

^unXlmbrdlas 



1 



J 



FA//ic/^/co Co. 



ularity. The first card shows slanted letters in contrast with 
upright headlines. The shirt card exhibits harmonious slanting. 
The third card displays the use of condensed upright letters 
in contrast with others. The last card shows grouping of 
small letters. Were it not for the faulty position of the let 
ters "o" and "h," in the words "on" and "hammock," this card 
would be nearly perfect. The long-stemmed F is very pretty. 






■^ 



A(L>2. 



4 



c/g>& 



/^A/KCM/IO Co. 



Gnon lOLLng'in^ abou.-t 
I the room, or catching 
I the hre&ze^s at night 
on the porch or in a 
ham mock, we suggest 



/A//fdJ-lll-Ci Co, 



A GROUP OF HOLIDAY PRICE TICKETS. 



THE retailer who shows enterprise in observing national 
holidays awakens the interest of Americans as well as 
foreigners. 

While the designs here shown are intended for hats or 
shoes, they can readily, without the tabs, be utilized for any 
merchandise. 

Card A print black on yellow or on gold. The bow can 
be tied of satin ribbon and glued to the bell loop. For large 



the sword handles can be touched up with yellow, or any of 
the numerous colored bronzes. 

Card G, for July 4, makes an agreeable decoration If 
liberally displayed. Print black on warm red. A small hole 
should be pierced in the center of the top, with a darning 
needle threaded with twine. This should project 2 inches, 
then be cut off in the back and fastened there with a touch of 
glue. This device enlarged makes a showy central window card. 






cards use wide ribbon; for sizes here shown use narrow 
"baby ribbon." 

Design B is especially intended for Lincoln's birthday. It 
should be printed either dark brown on light brown or black 
on medium brown card. 

Card C can be printed black on white, and the cherries 
painted red; or print dark green on light green card, then 
paint the cherries. 

Card D can be printed medium blue or white; if desired. 



Card F can be utilized for the 17th of March, St. Patrick's 
Day, or for any display. Print medium green on white or dark 
green on pea green. The Easter egg can be printed black on 
any color. Purple on heliotrope is undoubtedly the most re- 
fined effect. Heliotrope on white is also decorative. Any of 
these designs can be suspended from a matched colored rib- 
bon, which is glued on the back of an embossed paper seal 
containing the firm's initial. These can be bought in small 
quantities at trifling expense at most stationery stores. 



43 




DOUBLE-STROKE SCRIPT— LOWER CASE, 



RULE two lines 2% inches apart, and % inch toward 
the center from the top and bottom line rule two 
more lines. This will leave a space of 1% inches for 
the center body of the stem letters, and gauge the height of 
those having no stems. Use a small sable No. 5 pointed rig- 
ger. :\Iake all of your strokes with rapid swinging motions. 
You should do your practice work preferably with black paint 
on manila or white paper or card. Until you are thoroughly 
familiar with the forms of these letters you may mark them 
lightly in lead pencil, being sere from the very beginning to 
try to make all of the strokes rapidly in the order indicated 
by the numbers and in the direction of the arrows. 

You should knov/ that many of the best script writers on 
show-card work can scarcely write legibly with an ordinary 
pen. Therefore do not be discouraged if you are a poor scribe, 
but be persistent and practice much, then you will be able to 
write script as well as that shown in our copy. Better to 
emphasize the construction, we have shown the original double 
strokes, and below the filled-in letters, the dark background 
Intensifying the beauty of the edgelines. 

We would caution beginners never to use script on any 
show-card until they can write a well-formed letter. Imperfect 
script is an eyesore that is unpardonable, because you need 
not use it unless you know how to write it. 

Beginning at point A, in the letier a, make stroke 1, down- 
ward to the left of point B. Then make stroke 2 downward 
from A to the right to point B. Then stroke 3 from A to B. 



^anama 

Hats 



hu 



^o SLui I/O ur head 
and i/our pocket-book 



tjCi 



fA"iC/{/-^c> 0> 



Now stroke 4 slanting downward and then on a quick upward 
curve to the right: then stroke 5, to the right; and finally 
stroke 6, which must begin somewhat to the left of the right 
end of stroke 5, so that the two last double lines are the same 
distance apart as widest space of strokes 1 and 3 in the curved 
part of the letter, in order that when the spaces are after- 
ward filled in, all of your strokes will be of even thickness in 
their widest parts. 

In the letter b notice particularly the short stroke 2, 
which I have purposely not noted by a number in any cf the 
other letters, but it should always be made first, before you 
make the downward stem stroke. 

Stroke 5 in letters h, m and n should only run to point 
A; then make stroke 6, which is to be followed by stroke 7, 
beginning at point A and going downward. In this manner 
j'ou get the proper distance between the stem strokes and 
the same thickness. 

The letter m Is faulty, because the middle stem should be 
about where the stroke number 6 is marked, which would 
bring the middle stem where our artist should have placed it, 
making the space between the middle stem and the last curved 
stroke equal to the space between the first and middle 
strokes. 

The construction of all th° other letters should readily be 
understood. All you require is plenty of courage, bold, rapid 
movements of your brush aiid a great deal of practice. 

Your color should be easy fiowing, and by referring to the 



^ ^ 

Cool 
l^eaiherweight 

Xlnderwear 




»2. 



M 



FAIRCH//.0 Or 



-i-i 



F A I R C H I L D ■ S RAPID L E T T E E E E 



45 



copy you can readily see where the extreme point of the 
brush is used and how delicate is the touch on all of the up- 
ward curved end:^. 

Seasonable Pen-Lettered Window Cards. 

Two well-balanced examples of pen work are displayed on 
the opposite page. It requires constant and deliberate 



practice to execute lettering so nearly perfect as this is. Tie 
lay-out shows excellent judgment. 

The wording of the first card speaks volumes and will 
attract trade from all classes of society. Any person who can 
afford to expend two dollars on a sizzling hot day should, 
through the psychological impression of the words "cool" and 
"featherweight," be lured into the store and purchase a hat. 





HOW -CARD, 

AND 

SI 




SCRIPT CAPITALS. 



IN writing these letters, with their lengthy, quick-swinging 
strokes, it is necessary thoroughly to load the brush, but 
not to overflowing. The extreme side of the point of your 
little finger ("Pinky") may rest on the paper and the rest of 
the hand be entirely free. The strokes should be rapid and 
the movements very much as though you were writing with 
the extreme point of an ordinary pen. With rapid, curved 
swings you produce the clean-edged, beautiful, graceful sweeps 
which make script lettering so refined in appearance. After 
you are thoroughly expert you will be able to write the letters 
without a rest, free-hand. 

Use a number 5 pointed rigger. Rule lines 2 inches 
apart, and with the exception of the letters K, J, L, M, S and 
Q, you need not go below your lines. 

A Is readily accomplished by following the arrows as num- 
bered. 

B, begin with the long stem stroke 1, on the upper right 
end, moving to the left, gliding downward in a continuous 
stroke until you reach the upper end of the upward swing of 
the circle marked with the large 1; after which you make the 
last downward stroke, giving your brush a little pressure, 
which you relax just as you do when shading with a pen. 
Stroke 2 is then made to where it joins at the point marked 
by dotted lines. Stroke 3 begins on top at point A, swinging 
downward to the left and rapidly upward to the right. The 
other strokes are readily followed, but stroke 8 ends at the 
point marked D. 

In letter C, stroke 2 begins at point A; strokes 3 and 4 
form the circle to complete the letter. 

In D, stroke 1 begins at A, followed by stroke 2; stroke 3 
begins at A with a rapid downward swing to the right, wind- 
ing up gracefully at the left. 

Letter E requires much practice. After rapidly making 
stroke 1, join it with stroke 2, beginning at point A; stroke 
3 should be made with a rapid circular swing, shading it 
slightly on the inner circle downward, and bringing it to a 
complete point at the right-hand finish; stroke 4 finishing the 
letter. 

F is best perfected by making the top strokes 1 and 2 
beginning at the point just below the small arrow marked 3, 
swinging downward to the left, then circling upward gradually 
and quickly to the rights from points marked by the arrows 
1, 1; the stem strokes marked 3 and 4 are made like those 
In letter B. The central stroke 5 forms a beautiful curve, 
requiring considerable practice, and begins at the point marked 
with a small capital B; some writers prefer to omit it. 



The upper part of G is somewhat on the order of those 
in letter E, except that it is more perpendicular. 

If you have carefully followed these instructions, you will 
find no difficulty in writing the other letters. 

I would advise the student after making each outline let- 
ter by carefully studying the copy, then to fill In the spaces 
and compare the completed letter with the completed copy 
letter. This will relieve the monotony of the work and point 
out faulty construction as you go along. To fill in, use thicker 
paint and slightly flattened point on the brush, being careful 
not to disturb the outer edge-lines. 

Everlasting Signs. 

SMALL, interior signs that are used for various purposes in 
most stores, can readily be made by any person. Mark 
the length and width of the sign wanted on a piece of heavy 
wrapping paper; or, if it is to be a fancy shape, cut out the 
outline. Jlost hardware stores carry letters and numbers 
made of aluminum, porcelain, bronze or copper. These can 
be laid out on your paper which you take to the store. 

If your sign is wood you can first paint it and then fasten 
on your letters with special round brads that come for the 
purpose, or glue them down with a special cement that will 
enable you to fasten them on glass also. 

When letters are fastened with cement always be sure to 
allow sufficient margin around the letters and between the 
lines. Carefully study your layout, rule chalk lines so that the 
letters will be laid on straight, then fasten one at a time, and 
when all are properly "laid on," place an even board on top, 
weight it down and allow it to stand one day to dry. 

The words "Glove Dep't," "Hat Dep't," "Cashier," "Toilet," 
"Exchange," "Private," "Superintendent," "For Men," "Women," 
and many similar signs look beautiful when made in this 
manner. 

A black sanded panel can quickly be made by painting 
with ivory black ground in japan, and with a small sieve 
sprinkle it all over with black smalt, which costs 5 to 10 
cents a pound, and which can be bought in blue, green, brown 
and maroon, etc., if you wish colors. Turn your panel on one 
edge, giving it a slight tap as you set it down, and the sur- 
plus smalt falls off. The next day, when it is dry, fasten on 
your letters. 

A pine board, stained mahogany and varnished, on which 
white or gold letters are mounted, makes an agreeable indoor 
store sign which can be read from a distance. 



46 



F A I R C H I L D ' S RAPID L p] T T E R E R 

Numerous stains can be bought already mixed with var- 



4? 



nish. Your board should rfceive two coats. For white signs 
use one coat white lead and two coats white enamel. 

Green varnished panels with white or gold letters are very- 
pretty. At a trifling expense you can have your carpenter de- 
liver the panel with a bevel-edge any width you require. 



Plain beveled glass with holes drilled in each end can 
be bought ready-made. In two holes you can fasten a neat 
chain and have a good hanging sign, or you can fasten it 
down with brass round-headed screws. Plush or cloth covered 
panels used in this manner look well, but become very dusty 
in a short time. White enamel letters are used for this. 




Q/l(£8e9) 




(^9lWW%g/ 



(0^'U'rw%8/'Z 




HOW -CAR 

AND 




FAIRCHILD SCRIPT LOWER CASE. 



THIS series of letters combines grace and solidity in all 
of its characters, and is specially designed by our artist 
to perfect the Fairchild series of lettering as a result 
of numerous inquiries during the last ten years for a bold 
script style. Where a dainty script is not desirable, this font 
will prove an agreeable and effective substitute, and when 
combined with the capitals, which will appear in our next les- 
son, make an excellent window card letter. As the formation 
of the double-stroke script letters is much on the same order, 
we will merely point out some peculiarities in the formation 
*of this alphabet, advising the learner at first carefully to 
follow the strokes in rotation with pencil, and then with brush 
go over these marks. 

In letter "a" the 5 stroke begins at point c, down and 
upward to the right. In "b" strokes 2 and 3 run to point A, 
then follows stroke 4, which begins at the stem 3, running 
to the right downward to the point A, then follows stroke 5. 
beginning at the stem 3 and down to point A. 

Letter "c" begins at point A to B. Stroke 3 begins at A 
underneath stroke 1. Stroke 4 begins at A to the '■ight down- 
ward. Stroke 5 begins at the point marked 4 and swings in 
a circle to the left, then around and upward, joining the point 
of stroke 2. 

The letter "d" is made exactly like "a," except that it has 
a long stem. 

Letter "e" begins the first stroke to the left at A, and 
stroke 2, directly underneath, strokes 3 and 4 swinging in 
opposite directions also from point A. 

Letter "f" begins at A with strokes 1 and 2, the latter 
running down to point B, ending with a slight upward and 
downward curve. Stroke 3 begins from A to the right upward 
and ends in a similar curve as stroke a; stroke 4 begins at A. 

The circles of "g," "o" and "q" are all formed alike. 

The letter "h" has stroke 5 ending at A, then stroke 6 
underneath to gauge the distance it should be from the stem 
stroke 3, and stroke 7 begins at A. 

In the letter "m" our artist has made this corresponding 
stroke 5 of letter "h" in one continuous stroke to show both 
methods, but you will be safer and better able to gauge your 
distances by following the 2 stroke idea shown in "h." 

In "i" our artist begins stroke 4 at B on a downward curve 
to the right to point A and then stroke 5. It will soon be 
easy for you to leave off stroke 5 entirely by beginning stroke 
4 where 5 now ends, and circle upward and around downward 
and to the right to A, joining the stem-stroke 3. 



Letter "s" should have the 3 stroke in proper swing, being 
careful to have it rounded out on its lower half and swinging 
it quickly on the upward circle to meet the stem stroke 2 at 
the point where the last stroke 3 arrowhead is shown. The 
downward curved stroke 4 finishes the dot in the "s." Stroke 
5 should then be made as though you intended to form a 
single line stroke, like a capital J, slanting to the right. You 
will find this letter requires considerable practice. 

To make a properly shaped "v" you must make stroke 4 
curved slightly inward when you start it, and join stroke 3 
at A. 

In "y," strokes 5 and 7 begin from 6 to B on the bottom; 
stroke 8 from B upward; stroke 9 at point A, curve slightly 
to the left, then upward to the right and down. 

In "z," strokes 1 and 2 require considerable practice; 
stroke 6 has a slightly graduated indented curve, which is best 
accomplished by shading the stroke in one graceful side sweep 
as shown. Stroke 5 should be slightly curved outward to the 
right. 

Small Stencils. 

FOR small stencils, not longer than 12 inches, and where 
the openings are not wider than one-half inch, it is ad- 
visable to mark out your pattern on thin stencil paper that is 
sold for this purpose, or to use heavy manila wrapping paper. 
Pin this down with thumb tacks; draw one complete figure 
of your design, either by transferring it with carbon paper 
from a copy, or originating it on the manila sheet. Cut it out 
carefully with your mat-cutter or other sharp knife, turning 
your wooden board or thick cardboard on which the paper is 
fastened whenever you have curved lines to cut, being careful 
to place your left hand flat on the paper about one-eighth or 
one-quarter inch away from the knife point. Your knife must 
be kept perfectly sharp by frequent strokes on your oil stone. 
In this manner you will soon be able to cut without requiring 
much trimming, which is done by using sharp nail scissors 
for curved lines — also flat scissors — wherever corners are not 
cut clean, or if small shreds are left hanging. You can then 
take a piece of rag or sponge and wipe over both surfaces 
of the paper with linseed oil, allowing it to soak into the 
paper 10 minutes and then wiping off the surplus oil clean, 
with a dry rag. Another method is to sprinkle paraffine shav- 
ings over one side of the stencil, ironing it with a warm sad- 
iron, and then do the other sides. To make the stencil still 
more durable use shellac or varnish on the edges of both 
sides where the design is cut out, also on the inner edges. 



48 



FAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETTERER 



49 





FAIRCHILD SCRIPT CAPITALS. 



THESE letters will be much admired and prove intensely 
attractive, whether combined with lower case of the 
same font or with lower case, regular script. You will 
notice that, with the exception of the upper strokes in H and 
O, all the stem strokes have straight or flattened ends. 
Throughout the entire series keep your brush point slightly 
flattened. Carefully observe the completed letter after it has 
been filled in. Keep the stem strokes as nearly uniform in 
thickness in each letter as possible, and bear in mind that it 
takes persistent effort to become an expert script writer. 

Wire Signs. 

F' OR wire meshed or roof signs or signs with carved wooden 
letters the Fairchild Script will be an improvement upon 
the usual script styles, which are not so durable. 



Scale Drawings. 

AT most stationers you can procure a few sheets of paper 
ruled into blue squares, or you can rule them yourself. 
Suppose your sign is to be 20 feet by 2% feet high. Draw 
your panel 20 inches long and 2i/^ inches high. This drawing, 
with the lettering in the proportion you would desire it, would 
represent your completed sign; each inch in length and height 
would be one foot on the actual sign. 

Fairchild Script is especially adapted for signs with raised 
wooden letters, because the fine lines on regular script crack 
more readily when exposed to the atmosphere, while the 
bolder strokes of the former style are more readily seen at a 
distance and less apt to be broken by outside exposure. 

The best method by which your order may be properly 




For roof signs the letters are cut from galvanized sheet 
iron. The letters are fastened to the meshed wire frame by 
means of durable copper wire, which is passed through holes 
pierced through the letters and twisted tight on the back to 
the mesh. Such letters should receive one coat of red lead 
and two coats of other paint, black or dark slate being most 
easily seen at a great distance. Roof signs require careful, 
expert mounting, necessitating the use of many steel braces 
to keep the sign from being blown over. 

Signs used for store fronts, as shown on the design above, 
are easily mounted in the same manner, but the letters are 
generally of wood, painted or gilded, and fastened readily by 
using small staples, which are hammered down tight into the 
back of the letters through to the wire mesh behind. 

Their open surface prevents damage caused by windstorms. 



carried into effect is to make a scale drawing, mailing it with 
the exact size of your sign marked on the sheet, and write 
under the drawing: "Scale 1 inch to the foot." 

Wooden Script Signs. 

LT SUALLY it is best to give your local dealer the order for 
' signs, but if you have no home talent to do this class of 
work there are firms who make a specialty of sawing out let- 
ters, either with square, flat surfaces or half round. They fur- 
nish any size or design you may require, and deliver them in 
unfinished condition or with smoothed edges, and surfaces 
nicely sand-papered ready to be painted and gilded. 

Scroll and Fretwork. 

Ornaments for ends, top or corners of the sign, called fret 
or scroll work, can be bought plain or carved. 



50 



PAIECHILD'S EAPID LETTEKEE 



51 




J12C^G^S 





MEN^S WEAR INITIALS. 



THIS font of capitals was especially designed for two 
purposes. First, for initialing show cards; the plain 
manner of ornamentation can readily be learned by our 
readers, who by this time should be able to copy any designs 
or originate styles of their own. Second, by moderating the 
stem strokes about one-third less than their present thick- 
ness, you will have an initial that can quickly be read, and 
which is especially suited for embroidery on men's handker- 
chiefs, shirts, etc. Therefore we have named this series 
"Men's Wear Initials." 

Transferring Initials. 

THE best method for transfen-ing such initials to any fabric 
is to draw the letter the exact size desired in the lower 
part of a square corner on heavy tracing ■ paper, in about 
the position you would want it on your handkerchief. Then 
with the point of a medium-sized needle, pierce the outlines 
of your letter, placing your paper on a thick piece of felt 
or dense woolen cloth. When this is done use a little emery 
paper to take off the burr edges from the reverse side. 

Making a Stencil Pounce. 

BY tightly rolling a narrow strip of felt (a piece cut from 
a discarded hat is good) or soft, thin cloth, and tightly 
tying a string around it or wiring it, you will have a stencil- 
ing pounce, which you can dip into powdered wash-blue, or 
other color, rub over your stencil and transfer to as many 
garments as you desire. 

Durable Wooden Signs. 

THE best and almost indestructible signboards are made 
from lumber one and-one-half inches thick by nailing a 
2%-inch flat band around the edges of the sign. The band 
will project on each side three-fourths of an inch. From three 
to six cleats four to six inches wide should be fastened to the 
back of the sign with screws. Paint the back two good coats of 
metallic paint. Mix all your paints with boiled linseed oil. 
The front of the sig,n and the band should be painted as 
follows: 

First give the entire board one good coat of pure boiled 
linseed oil. The next day give it one good coat of "primer," 
which means a thin coating of paint mixed with turpentine, 
without any oil whatever. The primer should preferably be 
white lead. When this is dry, paint one coat of yellow ochre 
mixed with lead and oil. On top of this, one of "flat white 
lead," which means to have the paint thicker than the first 
coat but without using oil. 



Now place ordinary wrapping paper along the floor and 
on this place your sign. Then immediately use the sand or 
"smalt" by placing it in a coarse sieve and spreading it thickly 
over the entire black painted surface, allowing it to stand 
about ten minutes. Place the sign on one edge, then, revers- 
ing it, place it on the other edge, and all the surplus smalt 
will fall on your paper beneath. The sign should then be 
placed with the back outward. 

If your sign has raised carved letters, they should first 
all be placed in their proper position on the board. You can 
best accomplish this by stretching a piece of string across the 
length of the board by fastening it to a large tack on each 
end. This will indicate the bottom position of each letter, 
and you must lay out the letters in the proper place which 
they will occupy when finally fastened to the sign. Now mark 
part of the outline of each letter on the board on each side 
with a pencil. Remove the letters, which have first been 
painted and gilded, handling each carefully, so the gold surface 
will not be injured. Now fasten each letter by hammering 
through the side edges, thin round brads, in a slanting posi- 
tion, being careful to strike about the center of the sides and 
not to hammer the surface. To best accomplish this, use a 
carpet tack-hammer. 

Should you desire a sanded background, use a small round 
or flat bristle ("fitch") brush. Paint around the edges of 
each letter and in between; do not touch the yellow side-edges 
of the letters, paint only the flat sign board. Paint the entire 
background with lampblack thoroughly mixed with boiled lin- 
seed oil, spreading it thin with a large flat brush, so that it 
shows no ridges. You can buy the lampblack ground in oil 
and add boiled linseed oil. Any color of smalt may be used 
on this black paint, as it will not show through when dry. 

Fancy and Plain Paper. 

THERE is an endless variet.y of colored papers which can 
be bought of most large dealers in the big cities either 
in rolls or sheets measuring 22x28 inches. Most of this paper 
has a glazed finish — maroon, green, yellow, gold, blue, silver, 
red, white and black being the most popular. Imitation oak, 
mahogany, walnut, birch-bark, oak-bark and flowered back- 
grounds are popular sellers. Such papers are generally pasted 
on thick gray strawboard, and then mounted on frames or 
strainers which are bound with strips of contrasting colors 
on the edges, after which they are ready for lettering. All 
these papers should be smoothed down with a soft rag; the 
bare hand should not be used, as perspiration, no matter 
how slight, will prevent water colors from properly fastening. 



52 



FAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETTERER 



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|<|eH's WeAft iniTiAi^ 



ABCDE 



53 
>1 



PIM 







M 

Ky 

K^ 
K/ 

K^ 



Li 








. I I ' ' " 



MIM 



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n 



RH 



>J 




BRUSH SCROLLS, 



ALL scroll work depends in its formation upon at least 
one or two main strokes. Jluch practice is necessary 
to acquire this art. 

Rapidity and ligiitness of brush touch are the two requi- 
sites. On all rounded designs, like series 1-3-4-5, you must 
acquire the circular swing by resting your forearm muscle 
on your table and either steadying your brush with a light 
touch of your little finger on the card or leaving your hand 
entirely free, and after you have mastered this method to 
have both arm and hand free. 

Artists who decorate large fancy panels with scrolls such 
as are seen on moving vans and circus wagons, use a long 
soft hair brush about 3 inches long. With rapid full arm cir- 
cular movements, which are wonderful to see, they make with- 
out stopping the winding stem strokes, forming in many in- 
stances almost perfect circles. As we cover comparatively 
smaller distances for the design here shown, our brushes are 
much smaller, the spaces being originally 214x3 inches. 

After much practice you may use the smallest brushes 
you can handle and cut down your spaces just as here 
shown in the copy, and then you may use a ball-pointed pen 
for the same purpose. Such pens can be bought at any 
stationery store. 

Although otherwise arranged on our engraving, our first 
scroll lesson begins with Fig. 2. Beginning with F, which 
has two angular strokes, make g, h and i, which has five 
angular lines, to which you add the partly rounded stroke 
il, and then add j2 and j3 strokes, with their ornaments 
afterward, to complete Fig. j. 

Fig. 6 up to Z4 is self-explanatory; to complete it add 
the ornaments and strokes of Z5. 

Beginning with design No. 1, make the a and b strokes. 
To become thoroughly expert you should learn to make these 
strokes from the top down; see No. 1, Fig. b, from b2 to bl. 
also from the bottom up — from bl to b2, curves either to 
the left, toward yourself, as in No. 1, Fig. b, or to the right, 
away from you and still toward yourself, as M in F'ig. 3, 
and the lower part of Y in Fig. 5. 

We now return to Fig. 1 and make stroke C with two 
brush movements. Then add the circular stroke dl, finish- 
ing the d2 ornament, which our artist does with one brush 
movement by squeezing and contracting the brush point, but 
until you have more practice you may outline it and fill in. 
The final strokes and ornamentation in Fig. e are added. 



Fig. 4 has reversed curves in its five panels, panel r 
being a repetition of q, and the completed scroll t varying 
slightly with s by having elongated scroll strokes on top and 
bottom. 

Fig. 5 is a complete series of circular ornamentation, 
where reversed curves touch but do not intertwine. The orna- 
ments in y added to panel x make an ideally beautiful com- 
bination. 

F'ig. 3 in its five series shows the stem lines crossing 
each other with their relative artistic positions maintained, in 
panel M strokes Ml and M2 crossing each other at M3. Con- 
tinuing, you add Nl and N2 and complete the scroll In Fig. 
O by adding the stem stroke 01 to 02 and the two short 
curved stiokes to this stem, completing the ornamentation leaf 
or Persian effects. 

You really now have only begun to practice scrolls. This 
entire series should be executed by reversing your copy, so 
that instead of being upright all of the panels are horizontal. 
Do not belittle the simple strokes. You can now try them 
in any order you choose. You will find many of the strokes 
that were practiced in the upright position much easier to 
make in horizontal planes. To make myself thoroughly un- 
derstood, so that you can appreciate the varied practice here 
offered, place your designs so that Fig. 6-Zl is on the upper 
left corner; then place the designs, with Fig. 6-Z5, on the 
upper left corner, and finally place Pig. 1 with E in the top 
left corner. If you can combine Fig. e, j, o, t, y and 25 In 
varied positions, you can make any kind of pattern and 
originate complicated designs that are beautiful to behold. 

To duplicate scrolls so that they are almost alike on 
two or four corners of a card, take a sheet of tracing paper 
the exact size of your card; fold the paper by making a 
crease exactly across its center. On tlie upper left or right 
hand corner you trace every stem stroke and the minor 
scrolls, indicating the position of each ornament with a small 
dot. Be sure that your tracing paper is fastened in at least 
two places with thumb tacks while you trace, and also use 
a very soft lead pencil, being sure the lines are not made 
too thin. Fold the creased paper; again fasten with tacks, 
and with your thumb-nail pressing and sliding you will trans- 
fer a reversed design. By cutting oft the quarter of your trac- 
ing sheet and reversing the paper, fastening it on the opposite 
corner, tracing all the lines with the soft pencil and repeating 
this in the other corners, you will have four designs. 



54 



PAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETTBEER 



55 



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OW-CARD, 

AND 

SIGNS. 




SCRIPT SCROLLS OR FLOURISHES. 



WHEN making flourishes it is necessary first to load tlie 
brush with color that is fairly easy flowing, and by twist- 
ing the outer end, getting rid of all superfluous color, 
leaving the brush well fil!ed toward the handle end but very 
pointedly sharp on the outer end. < 

The designs shown in the first panel on the opposite page 
are rather difficult to accomplish intertwined, but if you at first 
try single strokes in their varied positions, then two strokes in 
their relative positions as seen on the copy, then three strokes, 
and so on, you will soon improve. Great skill is required in the 
shading, gradually to increase the pressure on the point, relax 
the strain and finish with a hairline touch. The best results 
are obtained by doing this work rapidly, plenty of paper and 
patience for practice being necessary. 

Fancy Panels. 

FIVE designs of panels are shown for general use. They should 
first be marked out with a pencil and then lettered with an 
initial or any wording desired. 

You can cut them out with a mat-cutter and paste them on a 
background of contrasting color, adding scroll work on the out- 
side if desired or using them cut out as high-class price-tickets 
on garments. 

By gluing such cut-outs on a strip of card any length re- 
quired, you have a beautiful hanging sign to suspend in the cen- 
ter of your show window. Painting the outer edge gold or run- 
ning any kind of edge-line one-eighth inch away from the outline, 
you will produce a chaste appearing sign. 

Ribbonettes. 

117 E show one single ribbon and two double ribbonette designs 
VV which are used in varied sizes, mainly for hanging signs or 
to paste on the inner window-pane. Their treatment in the de- 
sign can be varied to suit the artist, who should mark them out 
first with a pencil, then outline. Small paper rings with a 
gummed flat edge are pasted on either side, and a string or 
dainty chain passed through each ring for suspension. 

Corner Scrolls. 

SIX designs in clear outline with generous black space, better 
to emphasize their beauty, complete the last quarter-page. 
They are often used only on the upper left-hand corner of a 
card that has much wording and an initial letter; the central 
spaces are usually equalized with the lettering that may follow 
it to the right, centered in lines underneath each other outside 
of the initial space. For duplicating such designs in each corner 
we have made explanations in a previous lesson. 



Plaster Ornaments. 

BY spreading ordinary beeswax about one-half inch thick, and 
as wide as you require it, on a piece of board you can take 
an impression of embossed metal ornaments, wooden carvings or 
"cameos." which are the carved heads on onyx backgrounds 
sold by jewelers. First smear a thin coat of oil over your orna- 
ment, then slightly press it face down on the wax and then take 
a small block of wood and by steady pressure press it into the 
wax till the surface of your block touches it. Repeat this opera- 
tion, leaving about one inch space between each impression. 
Now, strain your plaster through a fine sieve, mix it in a cheap 
little pitcher with clean water to a creamy thick state, add a 
pinch of table salt to this, stir without raising bubbles and pour 
into the impressions. Allow this to stand six hours or over night. 
Remove the plaster casts and make as many more as you require. 
If the foundation of such casts is colored and the design is white, 
or if you color the design and leave the foundation white you 
have fine ornaments to fasten down with glue. 

Bronzing Ornaments. 

WHEN the plaster is thoroughly dry you can apply a coat of 
varnish, then use any bronze before the varnish dries. To 
apply gold leaf you must first give the cast one coat of shellac, 
as such ornaments are for indoor use, quick drying varnish can 
be used on the shellac and then apply gold, covering every 
part and smoothing over lightly with a puff of cotton batting. 

Brass Ornaments. 

A ROSETTE or corner pieces on each end of larger show cards 
makes an attractive finish. You can get these from whole- 
sale millinery firms, pocketbook-makers or direct from manufac- 
turers, if you use large quantities. They are nailed on with round 
brass brads. 

Imitation Gems. 

MANUFACTURERS of millinery ornaments and most of the 
large bead importers and makers of cheap jewelry supply 
these at 50 per cent less than you will be obliged to pay at "imi- 
tation stone dealers." 

Imitation Red Seals. 

PAPER seals can be bought, with embossed initials in their 
centers, at most stationers. By pasting one above the read- 
ing matter on each of the window cards you add to their at- 
tractiveness. 



56 



FAIECHILD'S EAPID LETTERER 



57 





THE '^APPAREL GAZETTE INITIALS. 



ft 



ALL the newest wrinkles in styles of ornamental scrolling 
are embodied in the Apparel Gazette Initials. We have 
named them after the well-known western magazine be- 
cause it exemplifies the highest talent in the art of imparting 
the most recent information {"newest wrinkles") of the men's 
wear trade, both in news features and illustration, from all the 
markets of the world. The publishers of the Apparel Gazette 
are pastmasters in the art of journalism, and our students who 
can master the general details of this beautiful font of scrolled 
initials are to be congratulated and can properly be considered 
pastmasters in the art of brush-work lettering. 

The methods of ornamentation are greatly varied but they 
can all be used on each letter, offering the student ample op- 
portunity to test his skill in designing. Take the ornamenta- 



tion on letter D and use for F or L. Use ornaments on O 
with P or Q, etc. All these letters can first be edge-lined like 
K and Z, or like T with shaded outlines, or like Y and X with 
fancy scrolled panels. 

Round or fancy openings or shaped like those in the body of 
letter D may often be used to good advantage in any of the stem 
strokes of the other letters. 

Interlaced Scrolled Panels. 

THE first design shown below should be accomplished without 
much difficulty by the student who has carefully practiced 
the other lessons. The lower scroll is constructed in three 
groups. Both side groups, though radically different in make- 
up, are in thorough harmony. See next page for more details. 




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SIMPLE AND COMPLICATED SCROLL PANELS. 



To explain the completion of the first scroll panel in 
that previous lesson, tor this design rule your panel 
four inches wide and fifteen inches long, using a No. 
5 pointed rigger. You will notice there are five main scroll 
strokes in the make-up. No. 1 followed by No. 8, No. 2 
interlaced with No. 3, followed by 4; then the central scroll 
5, with 6 and 7 last. 

The minor ornamentation was placed at random, as the 
designer's fancy created it under the impulse of the moment. 

Our first line panel below consists of three main scrolls 
interlaced and a minor combination scroll on each end. The 
flat darts on top and bottom are added by the use of a ruler. 
Until you are thoroughly able to create such designs it is 
wise to mark them all out with a soft pencil in light lines, 
leaving off all the minor ornaments. The last scroll is what 
may without exaggeration be called a masterly stroke of 



strokes. If, as in the copy, you use a colored or black 
background, you can use a piece of chalk cut to a fine point 
before you finally paint it, and afterward wipe off with a 
cloth. Make your main strokes as you would with a pencil 
and leave off all minor ornaments. Then mark out the exact 
shapes of the two broad panels that show black scrolls on 
white. Now use white paint, first filling in the broad panels, 
so that they will be dry after you have first completed your 
main strokes and added the ornaments in white; then, with 
black paint, put your ornaments into the white panels. 

Final Scroll Practice. 

To vary your brush strokes and to become thoroughly ex- 
pert you must reverse your copy, first placing it in both 
horizontal positions and then in the two upright poses. You 
will be pleased and surprised at the difference in the work. 




60 



FAIECHILD'S RAPID LETTERER 



61 



F. W. Devoe & C T. Raynolds Co. 

Paints, Varnishes, Brushes and Artists' Materials 

NEW YORK and CHICAGO 

Show Card Writers' Specialties 

Red Sable, One-Stroke Brushes 

GENUINE RED SABLE 

ONE-STROKE FLAT 

BRUSHES 




SHOWCARD PAINTERS' 



RED SABLE, RIGGERS 



iOl 




1-4 in. 3-8 in. 1-2 in. 

Each: .35 .45 .65 

Set of 3 Brushes, $1.25 

SIGN PAINTERS. FLAT 
OX-HAIR BRUSHES 

1-2 in. 3-4 in. 1 in. 1 1-4 in. 1 1-2 in. 
Each: .25 .35 .40 .50 .60 

Set of 5 Brushes, $1.80. 

SHOW CARD BRONZE 

Pale Gold by ounce, .10 by lb. $1.25 
Rich Gold " " .10 " " 1.25 
Copper " " .10 " " 1.25 
Aluminum 1-2 " .10 " " 1.50 

BRONZE LIQUID IN 
CANS 



1-2 Pint, .20 



Pint, .35 



SHOW-CARD, SPONGE- 
RUBBER 

1 X 2 X 1 in. each, .20 

1 1 -2 X 2 X 1 in. " .25 

3 X 2 X 1 in. " .45 

DRY FLAKE-WHITE 



1-2 lb. can, .20 



1 lb. can, .30 



No. I 2 3 4 5 6 

Each: .07 .08 .08 .09 .12 .15 

SET No. I to 6 .50 

" 1 to 12 - $1.80 



FLITTERS all COLORS 

15 cents per ounce. 

SOENNECKEN'S PENS 



RULIHO PEN5 



RED SABLE, LETTERING PENCILS 





SPATULA 

6 iach, each .35 



FOR OIL WORK ON WOOD OR GLASS 

No. 2 4 6 8 

Each: .IS .25 .40 .60 
Set of 4 Pencils, $1.20 



SHOW CARD PEN5 20 lO 3532/a 



Nos. I. M-2. 2, 2 1-2, 3, By dozen .10 
10. 20. '• •• .30 

35, 32 1-2 ■• •• .60 

1 doz. assorted styles and sizes by mail, 25 cts. 



If your dealer cannot furnish our goods, send to us direct. Orders must be accompanied with check, 
money order or stamps to cover, if goods are to be shipped by mail, add enough to cover postage. 




HOW-CAK 

AND 

SIGNS. 




LETTERING DESIGNS FOR NEWSPAPER HEADINGS. 



ADVERTISEMENTS with some kind of individual display, 
whetlier pictorial or with special lettering, are generally 
more prominent than those having only regular type. 
In many large cities space in the newspapers is "so costly" 
that storekeepers lose sight of the great mental impression 
such a design makes. The most popular designs are headings 
and signatures. You are now thoroughly conversant with all 
methods of lettering and can readily learn how to make head- 
ings for newspaper advertising. On the opposite page we 
show a design, in which simplicity Is the main feature. Head- 
ings should be read at a glance, and when once known to the 
public eye, the customers of that store Immediately locate such 
an advertisement. When a storekeeper makes truthful an- 
nouncements, this heading is always a symbol of honest, truth- 
ful methods, and the advertisement with this on top will usu- 
ally be read. 

Suppose you wish to furnish electrotypes to newspapers, 
to fit a single column, two columns or three columns; you find 
that the size for the three-column "cut" is to be 6% inches 
■wide, but you make it about Vi inch shorter than the actual 
■width, so that the printer can place it in tight on each side 
with wedges or "leads," and that you Intend to have it 1V4 
Inches deep, as shown in Fig. 1. If you wish to see what the 
reduced proportions will look like for a two-column or single- 
column design, you first draw a diagonal line from C to B. As 
6% inches Is the width for three columns, for one column it will 
be one-third the distance from A to B, which you mark off at 
4, then run a line to the diagonal at 6 and then a line to 5, 
which shows the exact size for a single-column cut. 

For a two-column cut measure two-thirds of the distance 
from A to B, which gives you the rectangle, 2 — 7 — 3 — B. 

Tints and Stipples. 

YOU can buy a great variety of "tints" in sheets of paper, 
some of which we illustrate, numbered 1 to 10. Figs. 5, 
6, 7 are called straight-line tints; these can be had in curved 
and slanting lines. Fig. 1 is called graduated line tint. Fig. 
8 is a stippled tint. Fig. 3 is a grain stipple. Figs. 2, 4, 9 
and 10 are texture tints. We have selected for our back- 
ground a coarser "stipple" than No. 8. Now cut a piece 6%x 
1% inches and paste it on a piece of white card, as in Fig. X2. 
Later on you can use fabrics like calico, percale or sleeve 
linings for backgrounds on which to paint your design. The 
back of a playing card may also be used, but use only red, 
black, brown or green, or gold backgrounds, as blue and others 
will not reproduce or photograph. (See Index Photographing 
colors.) 



It is advisable for newspaper cuts to have such back- 
grounds, somewhat open, not too crowded, in order that they 
will print clearly, not blurred, as is the case when the lines or 
dots are too close, because the printing ink clogs on the class 
of paper used by most newspapers. Always remember this 
when you know that you will want a design reduced to a small 
size. If, for instance, we had selected stipple tint S for design 
XI, instead of the widely separated stipples shown, the result 
in our single-column cut would have made the background too 
close, and perhaps blurred the ink in printing. 

With a soft pencil rule light lines and indicate your letters 
on Fig. X2 with light strokes. Now use white paint, making 
the body strokes without any special care as to evenness of 
the edges, and letter in black the address in X3. When this 
is dry make your edge-lines in black, which may partly cover 
the white edges, where it is necessary to make the white body 
strokes of even thickness. Then place a white line in the 
black letters Mt. Vernon. Now with a ruling pen draw an 
edge-line all around the panel and fill in with black. 

Line Engravings. 

You are now ready for the engraver, to whom you must give 
proper instructions, which, in this instance, would be writ- 
ten on the card just as indicated under the finished design X4. 
This is generally done with a blue pencil, which color will not 
photograph. State the size or sizes of the engraving wanted 
and your design will be photographed on a gelatin film, which 
is transferred to a piece of smooth zinc, and by means of acid 
is etched into the zinc wherever you have drawn white lines. 
The zinc plate is then blocked on a piece of wood, and it is 
called a "zinc engraving," "photo engraving" or "line engrav- 
ing." 

Electrotypes. 

You then send this to an electrotyper, who makes as many 
impressions in wax of the line engraving as you desire 
electrotypes. These impressions are brushed lightly with pul- 
verized graphite and then the entire wax surface, mounted 
on a board, is placed into a copper solution with an electric 
battery. After a few hours' immersion a thin film or shell of 
copper is formed in these impressions, which are then filled 
with melted lead and are cut and mounted ("blocked") on 
wood, as finished "electrotypes," or "electros," ready to be used 
by the printer. 

Your original engraving should not be used for printing, 
as it may be scratched or worn and, if subsequently you desire 
to make electrotypes, all of these defects would show. The 
cost of a small engraving when you furnish the design is 



F A 1 E C H I L D ' S RAPID L E T T E K E R 



63 



EVOLUTION OF A PHOTO-ENGRAVING DESIGN. 



e 


._ ^ 




3> 


~~~~~-— ~J 


3 C<-)l-«-IM NS 


3 


A 


^^^~^^_^ 


2 COL-UMNS 

-4^ fNCHas 


5 


Z A 


--____^^l CO»-U(M (St • 

2 >9 (^~<cHr-~--___^ 



NO. XI— HOW TO MEASURE FOR REDUCTIOX. 




104 



J44444444 ooi 
»:-P44l444 ■^•51 

2 






» * • • ■ • • 



• ••••■*■•••••• «•• > 

• •»• •••• •#••••»••• 

■ • •••••••••• •••» •• 

• •••*•••♦••*••*• •* 

■ «••■••••• ••*••••• 



♦ • • • 



• • * * * 



>••#»•' 



v"-., ■-■■■■ ■ 



NO. X;— THE STIPPLED BACKGROUND. 




4 



17 



NO. X:!— LAYOUT AND FIRST PROCESS OF LETTERING. 




t • • • • ' 




1 Cut [- 
1 Cut [- 
1 Cut t- 



-Same Size- 

— 45 in.— 

— 25 in. — 



NO. X4~THE DESIGN COMPLETED AND METHOD OF ORDERING ENGRAVINGS. 




XII X."j— THE TWO-COLUMN ENGRAVING. 



NO. X6— THE SINGLE-COLUMN EN- 
GRAVING. 






ICTThe Narrow Cut at Right Shows Ben Day "Tints and Stipples." 
The flgures to the right are tlie numbers of the Ben Day process and 
are the ones to give to the engraver to indicate the tint or stipple you 
want. 



a 



10 



432 



















10 



.334 



64 



FAIECHILD'S EAPID LETTEKEE 



about from 75 cents upward — the larger designs being charged 
by the square inch. Electrotypes are charged according to 
quantities and size, ranging from about 20 cents upward for 
small sizes, and by the square inch in large sizes, which 
greatly reduces their cost. 

Ben Day Process. 

MOST engravers have a book showing various backgrounds, 
or stipples, which are numbered. All you need do is to 
finish your design as in X4, without having pasted in any 
background, and say "Ben Day" No. 333, and your engraving 
would be delivered with lines In the background as shown in 
tint No. 4. This process is named after its inventor, Ben Day, 
but for original backgrounds our method is the one to adopt. 
X5 shows the two-column "cut," or engraving; X6 shows the 
completed single-column cut. Beginners often make the mis- 



take of ordering the reduction of a drawing by giving the en- 
graver two dimensions that are impossible to produce from 
the drawing unless a new design is drawn. For instance, for 
the single-column cut they would write. "Make one engraving 
2% inches wide by 1 inch high." Such a proposition would 
be Impossible to accomplish, unless you draw your design 
according to these two proportions. It the original drawing 
would measure 3 inches in height, then it could be done. 
Therefore, it must be remembered that both dimensions re- 
duce or enlarge in the same proportion, as the camera cannot 
do otherwise. Should you have a small design, you can have 
an enlarged engraving of it made without requiring any other 
drawing. You simply state either the width you want it to fill, 
or the height, but you should always be sure that you know 
the exact size which the "cut" will be when it is enlarged, 
so that it will not be too large or too small for the purpose 
for which you intend to use it. 



HALFTONE PHOTO-ENGRAVING, 



FIG. 1, which has been elsewhere shown in this book as 
a suggestion for a Fourth of July window card, and 
which was effectually adopted by many retailers for 
window display, is what is termed a mortised "halftone en- 
graving." The artist sends his design, which is made with a 
brush and called a "wash-drawing," to the engraver, with the 
following instructions: "Reduce to 3% inches wide; mortise 
■Where indicated (showing the mortised panel, lT'gx2% Inches). 
Photograph through fine screen for Trade Journal." The pho- 
tographer places the design before a camera, and the picture 
is left exposed under the forcible rays of an arc light for the 
required length of time. The light which penetrates through 
a glass screen forms the picture on a gelatine film, which is 
then transferred to a piece of copper, and through various 
processes is etched onto the copper. Then it is "blocked" on 
a piece of wood, and the lower panel is cut out with a jigsaw, 
the hole being first bored through the copper plate and the 
wooden block; this forms the "mortise," into which the printer 
can place whatever type or reading matter may be desired. 

Fig. 2 shows the identical design which has been made 
to be used for printing In the newspapers. The glass screen 
in the camera, through which this photograph has been taken, 
you will notice, is much coarser, showing widely separated 
squares in the background; even in the white background of 
the mortised panel, into which the type had been set by the 
printer. The fine "screen," indicated in connection with Fig. 
No. 1, if used in a newspaper, would show a badly blurred 
background, because paper used for printing newspapers has 
a rough surface and absorbs the ink more than the glazed 
surfaced papers used in magazines. If you place a magnifying 
glass to the background of Fig. 1, you will see that it is com- 
posed of these small squares which are only visible to the 
naked eye of people possessing extra good eyesight. 

Photo-Engraving. 

AS a "halftone" photo-engraving costs about three times as 
much as a "line photo-engraving" and is sometimes not 
at all desirable, our artist in Fig. 3 shows the same design 
reproduced in a "line engraving" free from any backgrounds 
and engraved on zinc, therefore often called a "zinc-engraving." 
The drawing for this was traced with a lead pencil, then cov- 
ered by India ink by using a pen and erasing the pencil 
marks after the ink becomes thoroughly dry. 

Suppose we wish to use this same design for a single- 
column advertisement, and would like to see what the exact 
appearance of the size of such an engraving would be before 



having the work done. The column being 2% inches in width, 
we first drawn a diagonal line in lead pencil in the design 
from A to B and measure 2% inches from B to C, allowing 
Vs inch space so that the printer may properly wedge In the 
cut between the column rules, as intimated in our previous 
lesson. We then draw a perpendicular line from point C to 
D and a horizontal line from D to E, which gives the exact 
appearance of the dimensions of the size engraving which we 
intend to order. These lines and letters must be very lightly 
drawn with a blue pencil, and they may be left on the drawing 
because in the process of photographing the blue is absorbed 
and will not appear on the surface of the engravings. Those 
drawn in the picture are purposely shown to explain the 
method to our readers. We then place the lettering, which 
the printer has first set up, into the mortise in Fig. 3, so 
that the second line engraving. No. 4, will appear in the 
2^4-inch width size, but the type in the mortise will, of course, 
be proportionately smaller, and type and design will all be 
in one piece, and the printer has no typesetting to do. Should 
we, however, at some future date, desire to use the same 
design with different wording in the mortise, we send it to 
the engraver, who cuts out (called "routing out") the letter- 
ing; after sawing out the wooden panel the printer Inserts dif- 
ferent type. 

Figure 5 shows this same design, reduced to smaller dimen- 
sions, being only IVz inches in width. The last five designs. 
Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, show the original size letter H as it was 
first drawn by our artist, to be reproduced on a reduced scale 
for the "Chicago Apparel Gazette Scroll Initials," previously 
illustrated, thus explaining clearly how a large design may 
be reduced to much smaller dimensions, and showing also the 
progressive reduction of both the height and the width of all 
these letter designs. They also illustrate how the height and 
the width of different designs reduce in the same proportion, 
and conclusively prove that the camera cannot photograph 
the length smaller without also making the width smaller. 

In a reverse manner, by taking figures 10 and 5, we can 
enlarge them in one process to the same size as shown in 
Figs. 6 and 3, or as much larger as may be desired, and the 
width and length will also be enlarged in the same propor- 
tions. 

When ordering a "cut" from the engraver or your printer 
always call it by the right name, halftone engraving, line or 
zinc engraving, or electrotype, and in this manner avoid con- 
fusion and often much expense and loss of time. 



FAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETTEKER 



65 




YOU MAY NEED 

A Ne\v Stra^v Hat 
July 5t\i 

LOOK OVER THIS LINE 




^ ^^ ' f 






YOU MAY NEED 

A New Straw Hat 
July 5tK 

LOOK OVER THIS LINE 




YOU MAY NEED 

A New Straw Hat 
July 5tli 

LOOK bvER THIS LINE 



B-. 



PHOTO ENGRAVINGS. 

Fig. 1 — Half-tone; fine screen; for magazines. 
Fig. 2. — Half-tone; coarse screen; for newspapers. 
Fig. 3 — Line-engraving and two reductions of same. 
Letter H and four line-engraving reductions. 




YOU MAY NEED 

A New Straw Hat 
July 5t\i 

LOOK OVER THIS LINE 





YOU MAY NEED 

A New Straw Hat 

July 5tt 

LOOK OVER THIS UNE 






THE 
SOLAR PRISM. 



A GENERAL TABLE OF COLOR HARMONY. 



White 



Cold Green 



Warm Green 



Orange 



Citrine 



Russet 



Olive 



contrasts 


with Black and harmonizes with Gray. 




Brown 


" Buff. 




Blue 


Sky Blue. 




Purple 


" " Rose. 




Green 


Pea Green 




Crimson 


Olive. 




Purple " 


Citrine. 




White 


" Blue. 




" Pink 


Brown. 




Gold 


•' Black. 




Orange 


Gray. 




Crimson 


" Yellow. 




ilaroon 


Orange. 




Red 


Sky Blue. 




" Pink 


Gray. 




■' White 


" White. 




■• Black 


Brown, 




Lavender " 


" Buff. 




Purple 


Yellow. 




" Blue 


Red. 




" Black 


Warm Gre 




Olive 


" " Brown. 




Crimson 


" White. 




Gray 


" Buff. 




Purple 


" Yellow. 




" Blue 


" " Orange. 




" Black 


White. 




Brown 


Green. 




Crimson 


" Buff. 




Green 


" Red. 




" Black 


" Yellow. 




Olive 


" " Orange. 




" Gray 


" " Brown. 




Orange 


Green. 




" Red 


" Blue. 




White 


Black. 




Maroon 


" " Brown. 



Greens contrast with colors containing red and harmonize 
with colors containing yellow or blue. 

Orange requires blue, black, purple or dark colors for 
contrast and warm colors for harmony. 

Gold contrasts with any dark color, but looks richer with 



purple, green, blue, black, brown, than with other colors. 
Gold harmonizes with all light colors, but least with yellow. 
Gold's best harmony is with white. 
Dark, bright colors are usually warm. 
Light, pale colors are usually cold. 



66 



PAIR C H I L 1) • S 1{ A P I D L E T T K 1? E R 



6? 



Ho\v Some Colors Reproduce In 
Half -Tone Photo - Engraving 

The show-card here ilhistrated is a peculiar combination of colors and materials. The hat and the head of the dude 
on the left are made of Plaster-of-Paris. The hat is black and the face in flesh color and red. The head behind the 
fence is embossed cardboard pasted on in the back. The fence is light glazed oak-grained paper, pasted on. All 
the lettering is black, and the firm and address are white. 

The dark sod under the fence is medium green and the tufts of grass are dark green. The dude's tie is red, 
the pipe brown, and his hat glazed black. The background over the fence is medium blue. A light blue would have 
shown completely white. This explanation may prove valuable some day if you wish to know color effects 
when reproduced in halftone, and a .reference to the design may save much trouble and unnecessary expense. 



A 

Glossy 

Water 

Color 

for 

Brush 

or 

Pen 





all Show Card 

WRITERS us 




iMi'-- ■L-.j\^i:.;U'\Uxl' :^•iiA^;li^. L 



TriADPEU5 PAV1P5 Co. 

95-37VAf/OAMST. NE^ VOW. 




AU 

Colors, 

Ready 

For 

Use. 

Thin 



Water 



From Davids' Practical Letlerer 




WHOLESALE PRICE LIST 
=^=-LETTERINE 

For Card Making and Advertising Signs. Extra Glossy — Strong, 
Bright Colors. Adapted for Brush and Shading Pen. 

BLACK. Bydoz. 

2-oz. Desk Bottles, metal top corks, in boxes of 1 doz $ 1.20 

Half-pint Bottles, metal top corks, in boxes of 1 doz 4.00 

Pint Bottles, metal top corks, in boxes of 1 doz 6.40 

Quart Bottles, metal top corks, in boxes of 1 doz 11.40 

Blue, Carmine, Green, Scarlet, Violet, White, Yellow. 

Bydoz. 
2-oz. Desk Bottles, metal top corks, in boxes of 1 doz....$ 1.40 

Half-pint Bottles, metal top corks, in boxes of 1 doz 4.80 

Pint Bottles, metal top corks, in boxes of 1 doz 8.40 

Quart Bottles, metal top corks, in boxes of 1 doz 14.40 

GOLD. Bydoz. 

2-oz. Desk Bottles, metal top corks, in boxes of 1 doz.... $3.50 





STANDARD COLOR MIXTURES. 



COLOR mixing for show-card and similar work is com- 
paratively easy to learn. The quantity of each color 
to use is generally a matter of taste, according to the 
"intensity" (the strength) of the color desired, and this you 
can only learn by taking the paint and experimenting. In 
real high art color mixing there are no two artists who mix 
exactly alike, therefore, aside from the value of perfect 
draughtsmanship, the art of coloring is another great factor 
in the value of painting. Some artists draw perfectly, but 
their color mixtures are simply horrible. Other artists draw 
shamefully but paint to perfection. 

Mixing Water Colors 

WE, who are commercial artists, will do very well with the 
receipts below, and to mix colors right it is advisable if 
they are water colors to first take the dry color and saturate 
it with alcohol. This cuts into the lumps and enables you to 
mix it into a smooth mass by using your palette knife vigor- 
ously on j'our piece of glas3 or marble when you add as much 
mucilage so that the paint is like thick cream. If your de- 
sign is small you simply take a quantity of each color and 
mix them and finally add water, being careful not to have the 
mixture too thin. For large work you mix each color in a 
separate cup, and if you need a big quantity always be sure 
to have more than you require, because if you run short you 
will surely have trouble to match exactly the original color. 
[f you want water colors all ready, buy the "fresco" or "dis- 
temper" colors in glass jars, mixed in water, but you must 
idd sizing of mucilage or glue. 

Mixing Oil Colors. 

IF you wish to mix oil colors, first mix each in a separate 
can, using a small flat stick for each color. Thin each color 
Dy adding a small quantity of oil, then, if you are mixing an 
mtire mass of several colors combined, you add more oil and 
I'nough turpentine to "cut" the mixture, but not too much, and 
idd enough japan (called dryer) so that your paint will dry 
luickly. 

Then strain all your color through fine cheesecloth tied 
)ver a vessel or small keg. 

Any paint supply store will give you a fixed rule for mix- 
ng quantities. For small work you will readily learn with a 
ittle practice. When using any kind of brush in oil color 
t is best to wash it out clean in benzine, but remember, never 
lo this where there is a fire or gas flame. Large brushes 
vhich are used in oil color can be washed out and then 
ilaced in a pail half filled with water. This keeps them soft 
ind ready for immediate use, after you shake off the water. 



Two Colors. 
Green — Blue, yellow. 
Purple — Blue, red. 
Orange — Red, yellow. 
Peach — Vermilion, white. 
Rose — Madder lake, white. 
Lemon — Chrome yellow, white. 
Pink Brilliant— Rose lake, white. 
Azure — Cobalt blue, white. 

Three Colors. 

Violet — Blue, red, white. 

Claret — Red, umber, black. 

Brown — Red, yellow, blue. 

Fawn — Yellow, red, white. 

Flesh — Yellow ochre %, vermilion M, white %. 

Chestnut— Red, black, yellow. 

Chocolate — Raw umber, red, black. 

Copper — Red, yellow, black. 

Buff — Yellow ochre, white, red. 

Cream — Burnt sienna %, yellow %, white i^. 

Four Colors. 

Drab — Yellow ochre, white, red, black. 
Dove — Vermilion, white, blue, yellow. 
Olive Green — Yellow, blue, black, white. 
Sandstone — White, yellow, ochre black, red. 



Grays. 

white. 



White, black. 

Burnt sienna, blue. 

Black, white blue. 

Burnt umber, blue (see drab and dove color). 



Greens. 

Dark Green — Prussian blue, chrome yellow. 
Brilliant Green — Lemon yellow, chrome green. 
Pea Green — Chrome green, white. 

Olive Green — Lemon yellow, chrome green and burnt 
sienna. 

Bronze Green — Chrome green, black, yellow. 

Odd Colors. 

Oak — White, 7 parts; yellow ochre, 1 part. 

Straw — Yellow, 5 parts; white, 2 parts; red, 1 part. 

Snuff — Yellow, 4 parts; Vandyke brown, 2 parts. 

Citron — Red, 3 parts; yellow, 2 parts; blue, 1 part. 

Carnation — Lake, 3 parts; white, 1 part. 

Copper Red — Red, 1 part; yellow, 2 parts; black, 1 part. 



68 



FAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETTEEEE 



69 



Fairchild's Color Harmony for Interior Decoration 


DOORS, 
SHELVING, 
MOULDING, 
FOOTBOARD 


FLOOR, 

RUGS, 

CARPET. 


LOWER 

WALL- 
LINING. 


INTERIOR 
FIXTURE 
WOODWORK 
FURNITURE 


WALL 

ABOVE 

WAINSCOT 


BORDER. 


CORNICE. 


CEILING. 


CURTAINS. 


Orange Color 
or Oak 


Dark Brown 
Oak 


Dark Green 

or Medium 

Green 


Orange 
Oak 


Light Topaz 
or Citrine 


Green 


Light Citrine 


White, Pale 

GreenTinl or 

Light Gray 


Citrine 


Green 


Olive Green 


Violet 


Green 


Slate 


Violet 


Light Slate 


White, Pale 

Heliotrope or 

Light Gray 


Slate 


Light or 
Yellow Oak 


Yellow 
Oak 


Medium 
Blue 


Light or 
Yellow Oak 


Medium 
Green 


Medium 
Blue 


Light Green 


While, Pale 
Sky Blue or 
Light Gray 


Medium 
Green 


Medium Blue 


Cobalt Blue 


Red 


Medium 
Blue 


Violet 


Red 


Light 
Heliotrope 


Light Gray 

Pale Helio, 

or White 


Violet 


Heliotrope 


Purple or 
Violet 


Orange 


Heliotrope 


Russet 
Brown 


Orange 


Russet Tint 


Orange Tint 

White or 

Light Gray 


Russet 
Brown 


Crimson or 
Mahogany 


Dark 
Mahogany 


Yellow 


Mahogany 


Orange 


Yellow 


Light 
Orange 


Lemon Tint 
Light Gray 
or White 


Orange 



Fairchild's Color Contrast for Interior Decoration 


DOORS, 

SHELVING, 

MOULDING, 

FOOTBOARD 


FLOOR, 

RUGS, 

CARPET. 


LOWER 

WALL- 

LINING. 


INTERIOR 
FIXTURE. 
WOODWORK 
FURNITURE 


WALL 

ABOVE 

WAINSCOT. 


BORDER. 


CORNICE. 


CEILING. 


CURTAINS. 


Violet Wood 


Plum Blue 


Light Oak 


Violet or 
Heliotrope 


Violet 


Yellow 


Heliotrope 


White or 
Lemon Tint 


Violet 


Mahogany 


MediumBrown 
or Ecru 


Warm 
Green 


Mahogany 


Crimson 


Light Green 


Light Rose 


Light Green 
or White 


Crimson 


Medium 
Dark Oak 


Dark Brown 


Purple 


Dark Oak 


Orange 


Purple 


Orange Tint 


White or 
Pale Sky Blue 


Orange 


Light Oak 


White Oak 


Heliotrope 


MediumGray, 
Yellow 


Yellow 


Heliotrope 


Yellow Tint 


Helio Tint 
or White 


Yellow 


Medium 
Green 


Dark Olive 


Cherry Red 
Mahogany 


Medium 
Green 


Green 


Rose 
Gray 


Pea Green 


Pink Tint 
or White 


Green 


Medium 
Brown 


Slate or 
Dark Brown 


Medium 
Oak Stain 


Medium 
Brown 


Medium 
Blue 


Gray 
Orange 


Light Blue 


Yellow Tint 
or White 


Blue 



:o 



F A I R C H I L I ) • S ]? A P I D L E T T E K E 



ER 



,ll 

ffl ' ~^^ 

GRACEFUL CURVES and NATURAL POSE 


are the distin^uiskin^ features of our 


Summer Suits 


Serges ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^B^^^^l 


Blues 


H^^^^^^^^I^ISI 


^ 


Flannels 


t^'W^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^gg^ 


Blacks 


^ 


P^d[wrg5»ff "" 


Cassimeres 




Grays 


\Vorstecls 




Browns 


'^ ^HVJ^JHP^^ 


^■ 


rlomespuns 


iHHrjt jp^ JH 


Fancies 


^ 




^ 


$15 

to 


^Li..4ll^^ 


$15 

to 


$45 


MORDKIN °'""'"^'"' "" *^''*--"' «""'"'. Af. 1-. 

The remarkable young RussJan whose aancing has proved a 
revelation to New York opera goers 


$45 


TROUSERS TO SUIT EVERYBODY 

I ~ == . nn 

■ = 1|! 



HOW RETAILERS UTILIZE MAGAZINE PICTURES^ 



F A I K C H I L D ' S RAPID L E T T E R E E 



71 




This illustrates how retailers use pictures clipped from magazines for window cards. The top and bottom strips were cut from 
Men's Wear and the lettering placed in the center,— Copyright, 1910, Fairchild Eublishmg Co. 




AN UP-TO-THE-MINUTE WINDOW 
DISPLAY. 

Now That a Successful Airship Flight From Albany to 

New York Has Been Accomplished and Flights 

From New York to Chicago and St. Louis 

Planned, Why Not Put Something Like 

This in Your Window? 




J 



from Albany to New 
York City in less time 
than it takes the Em- 
pire State Express to 
make the trip. Fifty- 
five thousand dollars in 
prizes have been of- 
fered the "man birds" 
for flights from New 
York to Chicago and 
from New York to St. 
Louis. 

From present indi- 
cations it would seem 
that before a great many 
years have gone by 
clothing designed for 
the drivers of airships 
will be a part of the 
stock of all up-to-date 
clothing stores. 

Why not, as a 
clever advertising fea- 
ture — one that would 
tend to give your store 
a reputation for origi- 




THE LATEST AERONAUTIC SUIT. 

78 



nality — have a few of 
these suits made up for 
a special window attrac- 
tion? The model illus- 
trated here gives the 
lines of the latest thing 
in an aeronautic suit. 

Toy aeroplanes, 

which can be purchased 
now in all the toy 
stores, would add to the 
effectiveness of the dis- 
play. 

Two window card 
suggestions which are 
appropriate for a display 
of this kind are out- 
lined In the above pen 
and ink sketches. Pic- 
tures from the leading 
magazines of the day 
can also be used. 

To use similar pic- 
tures with your news- 
paper advertising you 
can have a zinc engrav- 
ing made and type set 
in the "mortised" (cut 
out) space. 



FAIKCHILD'S EAPID LETTEKER 



73 






OridiTval 
Stj/les 

aivd 

Shapeliness 

art 

Fall 

Neckwear 







JULIETTE DIKA. 

Engaged for a Prominent Role in Henry W. Savage's Production 
of "The Wife Tamers." 



THIS ILLUSTRATES HOW RETAILERS USE PICTURES CLIPPED FROM MAGAZINES FOR WINDOW CARDS. THIS PICTURE WAS 

CUT FROM MEN'S WEAR AND THE LETTERING PLACED BESIDE IT. 



7i 



FAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETT EKE R 




Reproduced from Chicago Apparel Gazette by Courtesy of Fairchild Publishing Co.— Copyright, 1910. All rights reserved. 

How retailers utilize pictures cut from magazines. 



FAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETTERER 



70 




Black tie and waistcoat permissible at clubs and at bachelor gatherings. 

Formal Evening Dress. 

WE SUPPLY FASHION'S MOST EXACTING DEMANDS. 




Informal Evening Dress. 
WHATEVER MAY BE YOUR REQUIREMENTS WE CAN SUPPLY THEM. 




Formal Day Dress. 
CLASSY, DISTINCTIVE STYLE'S. 
This illustrates how retailers use pictures clipped from magazines for window cards. The three panels are cut from Men's Wear. 




HOW -CARD, 

AND 




COMIC SHOW CARDS. 



HUMOR combined with business is a dangerous proposition 
unless correctly applied. Our comic artist has created 
many suggestions that are timely, easy to copy and that 
will create a smile on the most stern visage. Many an other- 
wise impossible customer is by this method attracted to tiie show 
window, and unconsciously absorbs the run of prices and the 
qualities you offer. Most straw hats during July look somewhat 
discolored, and a card like the first one, with its trite wording, 
will induce many men to purchase a new hat. The intent of the 
artist is to teach you how to make such a card with the least 
loss of time, using little paint and creating the most attractive 
effect. At any store selling wall paper you can buy at moderate 
price single rolls of either "flat" or "cartridge" paper in all col- 
ors and use these for backgrounds also on some of the figures. 
Let us take the first design with the straw hat. Rule it with 
pencil into half-inch squares and mark the top row, beginning 
at the left, from 1 to 7; now on the outside margin of each side 
mark the square from A down to H. Suppose you wanted your 
window card design to be four times as large, the picture will 
measure 14 inches by 18 inclies. Take a piece of light green 
paper that size and paste it on any piece of card, showing margin 
at least two inches wide all around. Your card may be white or 
any color. As soon as you paste on your paper take a wet rag 
and rub it across the reverse side of the card. By placing a flat 
cardboard over the front side and weighting this with heavy 
objects and allowing it to dry one hour you will find that it will 
dry flat. If you neglect to wet the reverse side your card will 
curl up toward the pasted side and give you much trouble. As 
your paper background is four times the size of the design, you 
must mark off vhe squares four times as large on your large card; 
therefore, each one-half-inch space on the original should be two 
inches on the larger design. With dark green, paint in the 
mountains quickly and in one mass color. Draw in tha trees 
with a soft pencil; remember that they need not be at all exactly 
the shape shown. The first tree trunk and branches occupy 
squares 1 and 2 down to D. The second tree occupies square 3 
down to C and a trifle into D. The fourth tree from square 4 
to the middle of C and the last tree (excepting the two branches 
in 7A) occupies square 6 to the bottom of C. Take any color 
of brown and quickly paint the trees. A few upright daubs of 
dark green make the grass grow at the bottom of the trunks, 
also to show the pathway from 7B to the corner of E2, first ruling 
very faint curved pencil lines to guide your brush. Draw the 
outline of the boy first with light pencil, then paint any colors 
you want. In the store you can buy colored sheets of glazed or 
flat paper often as low as three cents a sheet. Draw an outline 
of the hat on yellow paper according to the scale size, then 
paste it on. Paint on your band in blue or black and run a white 
line of chalk or paint through it. The firecracker you can cut of 



red paper and paste on. To make the sizzle on the firecracker 
mix a little red with yellow. Make an irregular daub of this 
orange mixture, then put your brusn point into red and make a 
lew blotches of this into the orange and finally add a few white 
daubs and the cracker will be sizzling hot. Now letter a white 
card and glue it down to occupy the jpace indicated for the letter- 
ing and you have the card finished quickly and attractively. 

You will readily master this once seemingly difficult task 
if you always lay out your background in squares, which must 
be done with a hard pencil or chalk, in light thin lines, scarcely 
noticeable. On page 84 the coat of the waiter and the coat on 
the man, as well as the stockings in the colored man's hands, 
should be solid black. Use dry lamp black or ivory black mixed 
with mucilage first and then thinned with water. All of the 
various suits can be marked on various colored papers cut out 
and pasted on. and if striped or checked these effects can quickly 
be done with a No. 5 pointed sable rigger. To give too much 
finish to these cards is to lessen their effect and our artist has 
planned everything to facilitate copying. 

Lettering on Canvas. 

USE color ground in japan and thin with "turps" and japan, 
using no oil. For neat work outline with a sable pointed 
brush and fill in either with a flat or round bristle "fitch." 
Your letters, to run even, should be marked between two chalk 
lines that are first snapped on in the manner stonemasons 
snap on lines on sidewalks. You can outline the letters with 
, pencil or charcoal points. 

Lettering Signs on Dry Muslin. 

AFTER you have tacked your muslin on a wooden frame or 
stretcher, mix best quality of dry color or lampblack in 
common furniture varnish, which can be bought for about 50 
to 60 cents per gallon. Mix into a thick, smooth paste and 
use gasoline for thinning, so that it is fairly easy fiowing. like 
molasses. In this manner you will find by using a wide, soft 
hair brush, you need only go over the surface once to get a 
solid letter, which will dry in a very short time. 

Imitation Wood Paper. 

VARIOUS colored papers, sold in rolls containing about 
20 yards, measuring 30 inches in width, can be bought 
at 10 cents a yard retail. Dark oak, light oak, birch, 
mahogany, mission oak, in fine or coarse garins, are the most 
prominent. In pasting this paper on white card for making 
price tickets, it must be smoothed out perfectly with a soft 
rag, being sure that the paste is spread out thin. In this 
manner all blisters are avoided. First cut the cards fiat edge 
and the bevel so the edge shows white. These papers are 
much used for show windows when pasted on strawboard. 



SUGGESTIONS FOR 4TH OF JULY CARTOON SHOW CARDS 




YOU MAY NEED 

A New Stra^v Hat 
July 5tli 

LOOK OVER THIS LINE 



i 




V 



y\\ 1/ 



J#lk 



After tlie Fourtli tKat Boy of Yours 

Will Probably NeeJ a 
New Suit 

HERE IS THE PLACE TO GET IT 




No matter •who •wins tne ii^nt 
July 4tli 

1 ou nV^iU Look Like a 
xV^inner 

IN ONE OF THESE SERGE SUITS 




Going Fast 

THESE SHIRTS AT THIS PRIG? 

WILL NOT BE WITH 

US LONG 



77 



CARTOON SHOW CARD SUCGESTIONS 




MAY WE TAKE YOUR 
ORDER ? 




FAST BLACK 

12icts PER FOOT 




I^U!!.l._^ '~: 




GOING SOME! 
AUTO TOGS 

Come In, See Wky 



Tlbtii-D (o 




NEVER AGAIN! 

Can You Buy Snirts 
Like Xnese at Xnia Prica 

$1.15 



'rtlRCHlU) (2 



78 



F A I K C II I L D • S E A P I D L E T T E K E R 



79 





CUT-OUTS. 



ON the next page we show five cut-outs in various 
sizes and shapes, so as to illustrate the method pur- 
sued by the professional card-writer whenever he has 
to make a number of cards with one design. The cut-outs 
are left in their original condition, without any attempt at 
cleansing, so that our readers may more clearly understand us. 

Pig. 1 shows us the cut-out; Fig. 2 shows how the same 
is followed by lead-pencil marks and the lettering then 
quickly laid out, and No. 3 shows the finished card lettered 
with both pen and brush and the lead-pencil marks wiped 
out with a sponge-rubber. Instead of showing the exact card 
in Fig. 3, we merely represent it by the lead-pencil outlines. 

The method of utilizing the white cut-out Fig. 7 is 
shown on the gray card Fig. 7 below, as we lacked the 
space to show the finished card, the same as card No. 3; 
our readers can well imagine what the laid out card 7 
would look like finished with brush and pen. 

Cut-out No. 8 is utilized in the marked-out card No. 9, 
and No. 10. directly underneath it, shows the finished card 
with the lead-pencil marks taken ojf. 

Fig. 11 shows the cut-out for the card directly under- 
neath it. No. 12. We have purposely left the lead-pencil 
marks in this instance, to show how the card appears when 
written with the ink, before the lay-out pencil marks are 
wiped off. 

Cut-out No. 4 is laid out on card No. 5 and the finished 
card is shown in the lower right-hand corner. No. 6. 

It is always advisable to make a cut-out when you have 
ten or more of one kind of tickets to make. In this manner 
all your work will look uniform and add greatly to your 
display. Make cut-outs at once for large cards. 

More About Cardboard. 

IN most large cities you will find dealers who carry all 
kinds of paper stock, including show-card stock. The kind 
in general use in white or colors is called 8-ply, meaning its 
thickness; 10-ply is also much used for the larger sized 
cards, as it is stiffer. 

You can save much loss of time, with a trifling extra 
expense, when placing your order, to have as many sheets 
as you require cut up into various sizes, even as small as 
two-inch squares for diamond-shaped price tickets. There is 
cardboard with a smooth, shiny surface called "coated stock" 
and the dull-finish surface cards. The dull-finish white card 
is the best for general purposes, as pencil marks are more 
easily erased and, the surface being absorbent, the ink dries 
more rapidly. Some cards are colored and coated on both 
sides. They are naturally more expensive, but are often 



used to be lettered on both sides; for instance, for a hanging 
sign in the store, or price tickets suspended below mer- 
chandise, to be read as the customer enters or leaves the 
store. 

One kind of card, usually 10-ply, comes in black and 
dark brown, is much used by photographers for mounting 
pictures. This is highly polished and stiff, and is excellent 
card for white pen-lettering for large-shaped cards. The 
uncoated black 8-ply cardboard is mostly used for all kinds 
of signs lettered in white or bronzes, as it costs less. 

Every dealer carries "railroad" cardboard. It is colored 
on both sides, conies in a great variety of colors, and makes 
an excellent price ticket if not cut larger than 4x6 inches, 
as it is only about 4-ply thick. 

A cream white 8 or 10 ply card, called "egg-shell," has 
a slightly roughened surface, and is much used for mats 
and can be had in sheets larger than the regulation size, 
22x28. The dimensions of the cards most in use are as 
follows: 

Halves. 14x22 inches. 

Quarters, 11x14 inches. 

Eighths, 7x11 inches. 

Sixteenths, 5V4x7 inches. 

When retailers use enough fancy-shaped tickets of one 
kind, they can have a steel die made, costing from $4 to 
$.5, and can have them cut to order, by furnishing the 
cardboard, at from 40 to .50 cents a thousand. 



^Nl 

A ii 



Line Engravings on Price Tickets. 

NY photo-engraver can make you a reduced line engrav- 
ing of a fashion cut at about 75 cents. It must be small 
enough to leave considerable white space on the top and 
bottom. You can place one or two on each card. Your 
printer will do them for about $1 a thousand. Your card 
writer does the rest. 



U' 



Lettering Dress Suit Cases and Brown Leather. 

[SE asphaltum with a pointed sable rigger. Thin it with 
"turps." Your lettering will not spread and will dry glossy 
in a very short while. 

Lettering Trunks. 

USE any color ground in japan. Thin carefully with a little 
"turps" and more japan. Where you have many trunks 
cut out a stencil on paper. With a stumpy bristle brush, tap 
the stencil, which is held down close, with steel pins having 
beaded heads; then lift off your stencil and fill in all letters, 
going over the entire surface with your lettering brush. 



80 



FAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETTEKER 



81 







^ . 



12 




'5. 



^.i" 



JO 



rA if^CH/LDS 






G 




PLAIN OR BEVELED HAT AND SHOE TICKETS. 



ON the next page we illustrate 23 designs which can 
readily be duplicated and used for shadow script cards 
or plain price tickets, as shown. 
It cut from a colored card with a beveled edge, with a mat 
knife, you can leave them plain, as the edges will show white 
or gray. 

If cut from white card you can gild the bevel. If you 
cut them out with a scissors, you can paint a gold or colored 
border on the inner edge, and on the back you paste a length- 
ened strip of card to insert between the hat band or through 
the shoe laces. 

The reduced sizes, as shown here, can be used tor small 
show windows or showcases, but the original sizes mentioned 
below are better for the larger window displays: 

Size of Ticket No. 1— 31/2 inches by 1% inches. 



•• 2—41/2 


•■ 21/2 


•• 3—21/2 


.. 2 


" 4—314 


" 2 


" 5—2% 


•■ 2% " 


" 6—3% 


- 2y2 


" 7—31/4 


" 1% 


" 8—3 


" 2% 


" 9—4% 


" 3 


" 10—41/2 


•■ 2% 


" 11—4 


.. 2% 


■ 12—4 


.. 2% 


•• 13—21/2 


" 2% 


" 14—4% 


" 21/2 


" 15—4 


.. 3 


" 16—3% 


" 1% 


.. -^7_4 


" 2% 


" 18— 21/2 


■• 2% " 


•• 19—3% 


.. 2 


•' 20—21/2 


" 2 " 


" 21—3% 


" 2 " 


•• 22—2% 


" 2% " 


" 23—2% 


" 2% 



The simplest method of copying the designs to the exact 
measurements mentioned is, first, to crease a piece of manila 
paper, open it, then mark off the space according to the meas- 
urements given, and by drawing half of the design with a 
soft pencil, fold the paper over on the crease, and by rubbing 
it with your thumbnail you duplicate the pattern which you 
have drawn on the other side, thus having the complete de- 
sign in the exact size you require it. You can then paste 
this down on a piece of thin cardboard and with your mat- 



cutter cut out the exact shape and use this as a pattern for 
marking out as many tickets as you require. 

It is always desirable to put as little reading matter as 
possible on such cards, so that the prices which are the real 
purpose of the ticket show prominently. It you want cards 
the exact size of those shown on the engraving, trace them, 
paste down your design and cut out with knife or scissors. 

Edges. 

AJIOST important factor in creating the best impression, on 
cards illustrated on page 93, is the knowledge of when 
to use the edge-lines, be they ruled with a brush, edges of 
shadows, pasted paper edges, or when to leave the card plain. 
It is always safe to assume, where the exterior of the design 
consists of scrolls or fancy figures, that no edge-line will be 
necessary. 

Card No. 4 on page 93 has a paper edge, because it is 
mounted on a wooden frame, but if it were finished on a 
heavy board, a plain cut bevel about % inch wide would im- 
prove its appearance. Card No. 5, in its general make-up, 
requires some sort of edging in contrast with the picture and 
lettering. Card No. 3 would be a complete failure, were it to 
have any kind of edge-line. Design No. 7, on page 93, shows 
no card edge whatever beyond the plastic lines, all edges being 
cut off with the mat-knife when the plaster is dry. This entire 
design could nevertheless be mounted on any kind of dark 
background without a border, and this would increase its 
attractiveness. 

Rope Edging. 

ORDINARY manila rope, with a bow tied in one or more 
corners and the end unraveled and combed out, makes a 
fine decoration tor window cards. It is applied by running 
a narrow, thick, flowing line of glue at the center of the 
edge where you want to fasten the rope, allowing the glue 
to become sticky by exposure and pressing it down slightly 
as you go along. If you wish no bow at the corners, you 
can nicely form a little loop at each corner, or, if you desire 
it plain, you must "miter" it like a piece of wood, first 
tying up the end where you intend to cut, spreading glue 
all over it, allowing it to dry, and then cutting diagonally 
with your mat-knife. This method is rather troublesome, 
so most professionals place a round weight in the corner, 
gluing on the rope with curved corners. Others pierce two 
large holes through the mat, both in the centers and diag- 
onally at the ends, . passing the rope through. 



FAIECHILD'S RAPID LETTER ER 



83 





HOW- ca: 

AND 

SI 




THE AIR-BRUSH. 




THE air-brush plays an important part in tlie production 
of striliing show card work. It is called aerographing, 
this term being used in England, and with letters 
shaded with the brush it is called shadow script. It pro- 
duces soft and graduated tones that cannot be duplicated in 
any other manner. 

The numerous air-brush devices on the market range 
in price from $3.50 to $100, some of the latter being elab- 
orated by the addition of a gas-pump and large tank to 
make the cost as high as $250 to $300. Some of the cheaper 
kind are operated by hand pressure on a rubber bulb, after 
the manner of the well-known cologne atomizers. Others 
are used by pumping air into a small tank, using either the 
foot or one arm while operating, or having another person 
to perform the labor, while the artist uses the brush. 

None of these latter devices is desirable, nor would we 
advise the use of them. There is only one effective and 
satisfactory manner to use an air-brush, and that is by use 
of a tank, charged with concentrated air. These tanks are 
delivered to any part of the country, being cylinders about 
six inches wide and four feet high. A gauge is attached to 
the top of the cylinder, and a hose, which connects with 
the air-brush, is also fastened to the tank, and the air turned 
on by means of a small button on the top of the air-brush, 
the flow of the color or paint is regulated. The lines can 
be made in sharply defined shades, by holding the brush 
close to the object which is to be colored. If the spray is 
to be widespread, the brush is raised as high as two feet 
from the surface. As soon as the thumb touches the small 
knob the air rushes through a narrow tube to which is fed 
a stream of color mixture, which is contained in the small 
cup which is attached at the side of the brush. 

Unless our readers have considerable work of this class 
in mind, we would advise them not to incur the expense 
of such an outfit, which would entail an outlay of about $45. 
Our two first illustrations show the same device utilized 
for two purposes, by placing a pattern which Is first cut 
out with the matcutter from a piece of cardboard and placed 



on another sheet. By following the edge lines of the piece 
of cardboard which i.s cut, closely spraying the color of 
the air-brush, so that it strikes part of the pattern and 
part of the card, you can within three minutes obtain the 
result shown, which makes it appear as thougli the panel 
was somewTiat raised from the card on which it is depicted. 
By taking the cut-out pattern, and placing it on another card, 
and following the same instructions with the one exception that 
you intensify the shadows on the left upper half and left 
side, you will then have the effect of illustration No, 2, which 
makes it appear as though your pattern were framed in a 
clearly cut mat or frame. It should be remembered that 
all similar patterns which are used for air-brush work should 
be heavily weighted with a piece of lead or iron to keep 
them in position, as well as to keep the edges of the design 
close down to the card, thereby preventing the color from 
being blown in between the pattern and the sheet, which 
causes a blurred effect, and spoils the design. In doing let- 
tering the usual method is to boldly mark out the letters 
with a soft pencil. If your letters are to be shaded to the 
right or left you proceed by placing your brush within two 
and one-half inches of your "layout," following the lead- 
pencil marks carefully and gradually spreading the spray by 
raising your hand from the paper and increasing the pressure 
on the knob. A little practice will soon enable you to get 
the desired effect. When the spray is dry, which takes but 
a few minutes, you go with a regular brush over your letter- 
ing in white or any color that you desire to cover and fill 
in the lead-pencil marks which were first written, and which 
clearly show through the spray. Your sign will then be 
complete in every detail, with shading outside the letters. 

The air-brush is of great importance in forming artistic 
shadows and effects, called high lights, when It is used in 
spraying embossed work, bas-relief, and all raised surfaces, 
be they of plaster, wood, or other material. Where numerous 
signs of one design are required, the air-brush is invaluable, 
saving a great expense and much time. The method em- 
ployed is to cut out the scroll or mat design, no matter 
how large or small it may be, and spray the edges of all 
the open work of the pattern. In this manner a full sheet 
pattern 22x28 inches can be completed in five minutes. Aside 
from this benefit, each sign will be exactly the same. 



84 



FAIECHILD'S RAPID LETTER KR 




A MIXED GROUI> OF AIR-BRUSH CARDS. 




AIR-BRUSH PRICE-TICKETS. 



ON the opposite page we show halftone engravings of price 
ticliets numbered from 1 to 13. These engravings are re- 
duced exactly one-half the original size. Design 9 was 
4% inches wide; design 5 was 5 inches square; design 1 was 
3% inches. The $25 on design 11 has the figures 1% inches high 
on the original. Any of the suggestions can be enlarged or 
reduced, according to your requirements. 

In making No. 1, which can be bought embossed in quantities 
at a low price, you spray your color from one side, being careful 
to give it a delicate tone by holding your air-brush fully one foot 
away, and as you intensify your shadow toward the bottom 
getting within one inch from the card. The figures are written 
with Letterine and with a German flat pen. 

Card 2 has a gold edge. The cards are bought in quantities. 
With a mat knife cut your oval from a card and on the back you 
place a piece of flat iron to keep it in position. By spraying all 
around the OA'al and gradually intensifying your shadows where 
indicated you will get the effect which looks as though the white 
oval were iiasted on. The lettering is then put in with a pen. 
By shading the oval to the left on the inside the same as the 
circle in flgure 5, the oval would look sunk into the card. 

On figure 3 the mat is first cut, then placed on your card 
with a weight on the back to keep it in position. Wherever you 
have deep shr.dows be sure to let the spray touch the edge of 
your pattern and the card at the same time and hold your brush 
close. The upper line is made with a pen and the figures are 
done with a pointed rigger. 

Nos. 7, 11, 12, 13 and 8 are all completed in the same manner. 

On No. 6 the two banners are cut in one piece and laid on 
for spraying; the separation of the narrow banner from the lower 
one can be done either with a hair brush or the air-brush. 

In flgure 9 the little scroll ends are done with a small ligger. 



Figure 5 is made by cutting out a circle with your mat-knlte 
from the center of a square card; this card is then placed on top 
of another square card somewhat wider. By shading the outer 
square on the bottom left and right sides you get the raised 
effect, and the shading being intensified on the inner circle 
gives the middle space the sunken appearance. 

The outside lines of No. 4 should first be cut out with a 
mat knife twice. By marking out an edge line a little moie than 
one-eighth inch and cutting out your stencil at A-A, B-B, E and F. 
where indicated, and cutting out about one-half inch at D-D and 
C-C you need only place your last stencil over the fiist cut-out 
and spray into the stencil from the top and your ticket is com- 
pleted. To make a quantity you take one large sheet and spray 
each on your card by using the stencil, then with a scissors or 
mat-cutter you can readily cut your outline. 

Figure 10 is an embossed white card bought in quantities 
and then sprayed in green or color and lettered with a pen in 
black. 

Figure 12 has an oblong panel with cut ends placed on a 
white card which is sprayed in color, shaded on the bottom and 
lettered with a pen. 

Where a large quantity of air-brush work of one design is 
required the professional usually cuts out the mat design from 
thick brass instead of cardboard. This, of course, lies perfectly 
flat and does not wear. You can weigh down your card mat by 
cutting pieces of sheet lead and gluing them on your 'card. 
If your mat is large you can use weights of any kind, being sure 
to remove them from the parts you desire to spray. 

In lettering panels that have rather fancy outlines of scrolls 
it is always advisable to make both the lettering and the num- 
bers as plain as possible, thus forming a striking contrast, 
pleasing to the eye and easily read. 



A MIXED GROUP OF AIR-BRUSH CARDS. 



FIGURES 23, 24, 2G, 27, 33, 3G. 37 are all made by placing a 
simple cut on a surface card and shading to bring up the 
desired effects. 
Card 30 has two small, straight slits cut through to com- 
plete the triangular central effect. 

Card 34 has a series of light shadows put on the top to 
represent leaf veins and the lettering is then put on. 

Car 39 has slight shading in the center, which gives it a real- 
istic book effect. 

Cards 29 and 31 show the 7x11 card in an upright position, 
which is often desirable or necessary either on account of lack 



of space or because is better placed with groups of merchandise 
or elongated articles in the .window. 

Cards 25 and 40 are the simplest in construction, but can 
be used with merchandise of the highest type. 

Card 28 is made by cutting a square with fancy designed 
corners. The ornaments should be cleanly cut. This mat must 
be fastened down with 8 pins and then sprayed, being sure to 
put in shading dark where indicated and after lifting the mat 
put in your lettering. Use steel pins with glass heads. 

Such pins are usually sold in dry goods stores mounted 
on pasteboard cubes and are better than other pins. 



86 



FAIECHILD'S RAPID LETTERER 




AIR-BnrSH PRICE TICKETS. 




HOW- CAR 

AND 

SI 




AIR-BRUSH HABERDASHERS' CARDS. 



THE group of cards numbered 15 to 22 are called "Eiglits," 
measuring originally 7x11 inches each. The original large 
cardboard is 22x28 inches, therefore we can cut S cards 
from one sheet, which is considered by the trade the best size 
window card for this purpose. The same size can be used for 
any kind of merchandise and when placed in this horizontal posi- 
tion are called "landscape." 

In cutting your mats be sure to very frequently stroke your 
mat-cutter on the oil stone. Your edges will then be cui clean 
and free from threads. In figure 19 the large card mu»t be 
sprayed first and then an oval card is placed in the left corner 
and shaded. The two top lines are penwork. the last row is let- 
tered with a sable rigger. 

Card 15 shows the highest class of concise, clean lettering 
with the brush script and ornaments combined. The pen 
letters beneath are thoroughly balanced and almost like steel 
engraved. 

The script scrolls on card 16, though as simple in construc- 
tion as possible, show a masterly stroke that can only be at- 
tained by much practice, creating daintiness of brush touch. 



Card 17 has only three words in penwork. The combination 
of the letters in the first word is happily chosen. A noticeable 
praiseworthy feature in all of these cards is the remai kable 
forcefulness of the wording, which conveys so much meaning with 
so few words and with the perfect swing of the lettering and 
the layouts classes these as first-rate cards which you should 
try to copy as nearly as possible. 

Card 18, with its plain capital letters in the center, encased 
with heavy double rules on top and bottom, forms a striking but 
perfect contrast with the dainty touch of the pen lettering above 
and below it, but the great finishing touch for the balancing ot 
the entire card is the long initial W, which can readily be made 
by using a ruler to guide your brush-stroke. All of the center 
mats, if shaded on the order of No. 20, would create the same 
effect, giving the apiiearance of a fancy white mat glued on a 
lettered card. 

The utility of simple scroll work is illustrated in the ban- 
nerettes in the last three cards. In all cases the lettering is 
first done and the banners sketched in and the scrolls added. 
Lettering in thinly outlined panels should not be shaded. 



EYE CATCHING CARDS. 



POPULAR phrases, often of ancient origin, if combined with 
pictorial display, can be used to excellent advantage, as is 
the case in some of those described here. 

A boy is blowing soap bubbles, three of the beautfful 
Iridescent globes seem floating in the air, but are pasted on 
black silk chiffon, and the card reads, "Bubbles don't last long, 
but our suits will keep their shape and stand long wear." 

Close to a beehive is a man's face; a dozen bees are fly- 
ing (pasted on black chiffon), and the card reads: "Don't get 
Btung buying inferior goods. Even'thing here is new, up to 
date and perfect." 

Another card shows a man smoking. Perfectly painted 
rings of smoke (on chiffon) are curling upward, and the card 
reads: "Our promises do not end in smoke. Everything sold 
here is as represented." 

A window frame is painted on the card. Pieces of broken 
glass are pasted on black chiffon, and the effect is strikingly 
realistic — the wording reads: "We spare no 'panes' here to 
■atisfy our customers." 

A juggler is playing with six globes, each with a letter 
to spell the word "values." The card reads: "Values up, 
prices down. Our policy is to give best at least expense." 



See page 91. Card No. 2 and the card numbered 3 on 
the bottom of tlie lower corner are made in this manner. 
EDGE LINES ON GOLD GLASS LETTERING. 

If you want an edge-line around your letters — say red or 
white, etc. — use color ground in Japan. After this is dry and 
you wish your lettering to appear on a dark background, you 
can mix two-thirds Japan black with one-third cobalt blue, first 
painting your panel with an outline and filling in with a wide 
soft brush. When this is dry paint the entire back with thick 
asphaltum, using a wide soft brush. By putting on another 
coating of asphalt you will have a permanent sign that will 
last for years. 

Unless you are thoroughly expert with a brush it is ad- 
\ isable to have such work done by a professional, because noth- 
ing provokes more criticism than a poorly lettered gold sign 
on glass. 

PROFESSIONAL WATER COLORS. 

Most professionals use Letterine or Markiline for pen 
work, as they dry quickly with a gloss. Some use ordinary 
black ink; others mix drop black in gum water and the letter- 
ing dries flat. 

Ordinary lamp-black, ground in mucilage, then thinned with 
water, is much used for "dead black" lettering. 



88 



FAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETTEKER 



89 




AIR-BRUSH HAEERDASllERS- ( Al;lit, 




QUAINT AND PLAIN WINDOW CARDS. 



VARIED in make-up and styles of lettering are the six 
designs wliich are numbered on the opposite page. Un- 
fortunately, the camera often fails to do justice to the 
artist, and many of the coloring impressions, like blue and 
violet, are absorbed and show but slightly. The main object 
of No. 1 is to show shaded script and script scroll application. 

Figure 2 was all designed with the shading brush, except 
the white lettering, which was done with a hair brush. The 
entire design can be made with a regular brush. Comic word- 
ing that is not offensive will always create a laugh. The man 
falling from an airship, coolly smoking a cigar as he descends, 
is ready to "drop in." The panel on which the design is 
printed or pasted often consists of black silk chiffon, which 
gives the effect desired, making the man appear as though he 
were in the air. The chiffon is glued on the back where the 
card has been cut out. 

A similar tffect is produced in design number 3, where the 
smoke rin^s are remarkably realistic. The shadow script and 
scroll work are thoroughly harmonious. A "fashion cut" can 
be pasted on, and the arm and hand painted with a brush. 
The face of the figure partly projects over the lower left end 
of the chiffon panel. The capital E in the word "Everything" 
and H in "Here" offer a variation from the usual formation 
of these letters. 

In figure 4 the outside oval, witli its rococo scrolls, is 
raised in plastic effect, having a white oval jewel in the cen- 
ter of the top scrolls and scarlet jewels in the side ornament 
rentsrs. The wording "This Season's Wear" is badly marred 
in the photo engraving, on account of the reflection of the 
tinsel which is used to ornament each letter, and shaded lines 
appear outside of this, but the actual card is beautiful to see. 

Figure 5 exemplifies high art and daintiness in both brush 
and raised plastic scroll work. The letters F' and O are orna- 
mented with mother-of-pearl scraps, which are fastened down 
with glue. The shading of the letters, which is barely seen in 
the engraving, is brush work. The raised scrolls are properly 
shaded to bring up high lights by using an air brush. 

Figure 6, which may be called "decidedly plain" by those 
who only admire ornamentation, is, nevertheless, an attractive 
and readily made design. A marble paper background has 
white lettering with gold or colored edge-lines. The thick 
black panels were made by pasting on strips of paper. A gold 
strip with warm color edge-lines would increase the color con- 
trast. As gold lines in the photographic process appear in 
black, we must stretch our imagination in this instance. For 
actual ajipearance of color effects as transmitted by photo- 
engraving, see the index. 



Raised Plastic Ornamentation. 

THERE is a mixture in the form of a white powder that can 
be bought in 5-pound or 100-pound packages. You first 
sieve about the quantity you intend to use in a small flour 
sieve, then add water and stir it to the consistency of very 
thick molasses. This is then put into a rubber bag. having 
a Vi-inch wide metal screw-thread opening. 

Various kinds of end-pieces which form the ornamentation 
can be bought. Some have round openings, some narrow flat 
openings and a great variety, such as confectioners use, can be 
bought. All of these metal ends are soldered on a screw cap 
that fits on the screw thread in the bag. By pressing the bag 
the soft mass comes out of the small tube and with a little 
practice it is easy to make leaves, wreaths, round lines, flat 
lines and all sorts of fancy flowers and ornamentation, includ- 
ing scrolls of every description. 

When you have finished the work you require, it is neces 
sary to clean the bag and metal ends with water. The plaster 
mass is already mixed with a size which gradually hardens. 
Plaster work should stand 24 hours to thoroughly dry and it 
can then be sprayed with the air brush or left white. 

If any of the various bronze effects, like gold, fire-gilt, 
green bronze or silver, are desired, a quantity of plaster is 
mixed in a small bag, the bronze being first stirred in bronze 
liquid and then used. These bags can readily be made of 
white sheet rubber, such as is used in hospitals. 

A bag about S inches deep, cut pear-shaped and sewed 
with a double row of silk thread, will meet your requirements. 
The narrow end is fastened with thin copper wire to the screw 
thread. Such bags sell at retail for $1.50. You can make 
them to cost 25 cents. 

Paste. 

TO make the best paper paste, use flour paste, to which you 
add cold glue, diluted in cold water, say one tablespoon 
of thick glue in half a pint of water, added to a quart of 
paste; add one pinch of powdered borax. In applying the 
Iiaste over large surfaces spread it over the back of the paper, 
using a brush from 4 to 8 inches wide, passing your brush 
over all of t'ae edges of the paper, just as paperhangers do, 
first spreading it out on a wide piece of heavy cardboard. For 
pasting small labels or strips, spread paste over a piece of 
newspaper, lay on a few labels with the back end flat, then 
pick them up and paste on where you want them fastened. 
In this way every part will paste down flat without soiling. 
Use a piece of blotting paper to smooth down the label or 
strip and then stroke even with a piece of clean rag. 



90 



FAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETTBKBE 



91 




I II 



JmjL SmmB 



JSsiclusive Sire®ti®ni 



^■d.^ 






AND 

IGN, 




A GROUP OF WINDOW CARDS FOR FALL. 



THERE is variety enough in the designs shown to make 
them adaptable for most lines ot business. Although 
plastic and embossed effects are displayed, each one of 
these can be copied in flat brush work and shaded to give the 
desired appearance, but it necessarily involves time and skill. 

Fig. 1 is a thick panel with a beveled edge, cut with a 
mat-cutter. The rococo scroll to the left is plastic, with air- 
brush spray from one side, showing extreme high lights and 
very decorative. The lettering, with its dark, graduated shad- 
ing, is skillful and symmetrical. 

Fig. 2 shows an air-brush design which, though perfectly 
flat, imitates relief work. The center ehield should have a 
monogram or initial of the firm or the year inscribed. The 
shading, which is on the right, appears on the original about 
% inch from the body of the lettering. 

Fig. 3 is a thick card covered with oak paper, cut with 
niat knife, showing serrated edges, on a bevel, imitating an 
exaggerated thickness of a piece of wood. The pole is a genu- 
ine piece of birchwood, with a bevel sawed on the top. The 
rustic lettering, wiiich is very legible, could be improved by 
the addition of a few leaves painted or glued on to the initial 
letters. 

Fig. 4 is a masterly, plastic double panel, made more at- 
tractive by the contrast of the upper oblong panel, which nev- 
ertheless is outlined with harmonious scrolls and shaded like 
the oval, with the air brush. The legible lettering, with its 
exaggerated points, is neatly executed. 

Fig. 5 is covered with mahogany paper and the edging is 
in imitation of malachite marble, which, with the gold edge- 
line inside, creates a highly attractive foundation for the pic- 
ture of the woman and boy; these are pasted on from a "cut- 
out." The top line, lettered in black, with white shading on 
the left side, is happily chosen to bring into prominence the 
•'Children's Wear," the initial letters of which are painted 
turkey red. A slight touch-up of shading to the outer edges 
of the picture gives it a somewhat raised appearance, although 
it is perfectly flat. 

Fig. 6 is a flat "cut-out" mat, having a stenciled air-brush 
design in colors, rose and light gray, on white. The back- 
ground is bluish slate. The lettering is graceful, being some- 
what spread in the word "Fall" and much condensed in the 
word "Styles," in order to afford space for the white scrolls 
on letter S, and to leave an almost equally distant space 
around the mat edge, thus affording to the close student an 
excellent example of thoroughness in "lay-out." 

Fig. 7 is a plastic panel. The loop on top and the two 
posts are three-quarters of an inch high. The scrolling below 



and the beading around the oval are one-quarter inch thick. 
The card itself is all white, and the air brush, in this instance, 
has sprayed a dainty green color over the design and on the 
left side of the lettering, showing ample space between the 
shading and the letters. 

Fig. S is made like Fig. 1, but more elaborate. The 
denseness of the shading before the white lettering is painted 
on, gives it a raised appearance. The proper designing of the 
scrolls to fill in the spaces is an artistic accomplishment. 

Fig. 9 is an embossed card with a light green background 
and, like Fig. 11, has gold edges on the "art-nouveaux" panel- 
ing. The orchids on the first-named card are painted in nat- 
ural colors. The peculiar scroll, under the word creations, is 
swung low to fill in the space and made thicker than usual, to 
balance with the upper edge of the panel. In Fig. 11, the 
trellised panels are gold and the dark paneling underneath Is 
green. 

Fig. 10, on the original, is what is called a "Sepia," the 
entire background being painted in sepia browns in various 
shades, and the snow being white, of course. The post and 
panels of the sign can be made of any color contrasting paper, 
like green oak, mahogany or light oak, and pasted down, then 
lettered in white or gold. 

Figs. 12 and 13 are plastic panels on thick beveled cards, 
made to be suspended by small brass chains, to hang on chan- 
deliers or fixtures. The plastic flowers are shaded in high 
colors, while the panel, wnich is only one flat light gray sur- 
face, is so manipulated with air-brush shadows to give it a 
double raised appearance. 

To get the best results from card 3, you should have a 
mound of sand in the center of the window, into which you 
fit the birch pole. You can place a few odd stones on the 
bottom of the sand and place bits of moss and some loose 
leaves, artificial or the natural kind which we requested you 
to save in our first lesson. Paste a few of your leaves to the 
right of the word Fall, with the points downward, but paste 
them on irregularly; a spray or a couple of leaves imder the 
letter F and a spray of sumach or other leaves on the lower 
center of the birch pole. When you are limited in window bot- 
tom space no mound is needed, but a considerable part of the 
birch post should be seen to create the desired impression. 

For autumn or fall designs a very satisfactory decoration 
is the use of artificial birch leaves and twigs, which can be 
bought at reasonable prices in most cities. The varied color- 
ings and the smallness of the leaves, make this an adaplal.le 
ornament for any kind of background. Artificial maple leaves 
are very pretty for the same purpose. 



'J 2 



FAIECHILD'S RAPID LETTEirKl,' 





HOW -CAR 

AND 

SIGNS 



FOUR AIR-BRUSH SCROLL-PANELS. 




THE designs shown opposite are selected tor the sole 
purpose of illustrating how a few touches of the air- 
brush can produce what appears to be rather difficult, 
but which is, after all, a very simple design. The original 
cards are 22 inches wide by 28 inches high, and are cut from 
what is commonly termed an eggshell cardboard, which has 
a ground somewhat like grain leather, and which is glued on 
thick card and then cut out with a mat-cutter, showing a bev- 
eled edge on the entire design. 

Card number 1 is the simplest form of a scroll, which 
can readily be copied from the design, card number 2 being 
a duplicate of same, with the center of the top more elab- 
orately finished. The center panel of card number 2 is first 
cut out of cardboard and laid onto the eggshell surface under- 
neath, and a dainty outline of the same is made with the 
brush by following closely to its outer edges. The panel is 
then lifted off, thus showing the entire shape of white. The 
intense dark shades are placed underneath and on the right- 
hand side, and dainty graduated shades are placed on the upper 
right and left surfaces. Panel number 4 is made on the same 
order. 

The scrolls on panels numbers 3, 4 and 2 are all carefully 
drawn at first and then shaded with the air-brush. When the 
panels are complete they are all cut out with the mat-cutter. 

Lettering in all four panels has purposely been made plain 
and clearly defined. Simple letters, though more difficult to 
execute than the fancy lettering, are by far more desirable on 
most show cards. It is absolutely essential on these cuts that 
the outlines are fancy and the lettering, by being plain, forms 
an agreeable and forceful contrast to the shape of the cards. 

We have taken the liberty to name, in these panels, a 
few of our leading publications, which form . the connecting 
links between the retailer and the wholesaler in the men's 
wear trades. 

Scroll-Panel Half-Tones. 

ANY of these or similar designs can be engraved smaller or 
larger and used with telling effect on letterheads, envelopes 
or circulars handed out in the store. You can use them nicely 
for catalogue or book covers, but must be careful to have your 
lettering with clean edges and the background "routed out" 
up to within about Vs inch of the design. 

How Color Charts Are Used. 

THE helpfulness of Fairchild's Color Charts will at once be 
apparent to any window-trimmer, no matter how expe- 
rienced, and will be highly prized by the beginner as a won- 
derful guide in color decoration. Each store has its own pecu- 



liar customers, therefore it is the wise merchant who leaves 
no legitimate methods untried to attract trade to his store. 

The great masses are attracted by color contrast; there- 
fore, it is better to use the color combinations mentioned in 
that chart, for window and interior decorations, by those who 
cater to that trade. The educated classes prefer color harmony, 
therefore the other chart can be used to good advantage to 
attract such trade. It would be ridiculous, however, to say 
that educated and refined people cannot enjoy color contrast 
if properly applied and used at the right time. The wise 
merchant studies all these points and he uses the methods 
indicated on both charts, either in the display of merchandise 
or the changing of colorings of the walls, ceiling and furni- 
ture equipment in certain departments, from time to time. 

Collecting Letter Designs. 

T^'OR those who are interested in lettering, there is no more 
1 amusing or profitable pastime tlian to observe all kinds 
of signs and to sketch odd letters. Notice the street-car signs, 
theatrical door signs, penny slot museums, initial letters in 
magazines and political banners. Eacli day your sketches can 
be cut into oblongs or squares and pasted into an ordinary 
manilla paper folder by fastening only the upper edge. You 
should reserve several pages for each letter and others for 
scrolls, bannerettes, etc. Whenever you require it you can 
readily remove them for reference. 

Your interest will increase as the collection grows, just 
as stamp collectors or other hobbyites appreciate what they 
collect and it is surprising how often such rude sketches re- 
call events in later years, as you vividly remember where and 
on what occasion you made them. 

Imitation Wood for Show Windows. 

THE most durable backgrounds and window bottoms or 
ceilings can be made by pasting "wood papers" on thick, 
heavy, gray strawboard. This can be bought in large sheets 
one-eighth or three-sixteenths inches thick. Panels can be 
made by several methods. The simplest is to mark out all 
panels in light sepia brown to imitate- oblong or square panels 
or strips. Another method is to paste on to the covered 
card other pieces of the same paper with the grain running 
in the other direction. These panels are then carefully: out- 
lined with color to match, as lightly as possible. A thin; coat 
of varnish applied makes it durable and readily dusted by 
using a slightly dampened cloth. A complicated method is to 
use various colored wood papers and working up designs to 
imitate regular "parquet flooring" or borders. Unless these 
can be properly pasted it is unsatisfactory. 



FAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETTEKER 



95 




/ 




Vest Pocket 

Directories 

Send a 2 cent stamp 

GET ONE FREE. 





FOUR AIR-BRUSH SCROLL, PANELS. 




HOW-CAJR 

AND 

SI 




STENCILS FOR LETTERING AND DESIGNING WITH 
BRISTLE BRUSH OR AIR-BRUSH, 



WHERE a quantity of signs of one kind are to be made, 
it is always desirable to have a stencil and to either 
spray the color on the card or object on which the 
lettering is to be placed with an air-brush, or to take a bristle 
stump brush, which is usually round, and to stencil the letter- 
ing or design through, onto the card or object, be it a mirror, 
cloth, wood or other material, either indicating its position 
and afterward going over the outline with a pointed sable rig- 
ger, in water or oil colors, and filling in with a wider brush, 
or to spray or stencil with enough color so that no other work 
is needed except to join open strokes or spaces with a small 
rigger. 

Figure C shows a holly border stencil design used in 
combination with figure D, on the opposite page. First figure 
C is sprayed, making the groundwork leaf in a light color, as 
shown in figure 1. The second stencil, D, is then placed 
directly over figure 1 and sprayed with a darker shade of 
green, forming figure 2, showing the leaves shaded. The sten- 
cil is then removed and the leaf stems, which are shown be- 
low in the completed figure 3, are painted in, and the holly 
lierries, made in red dots, with a very light shade of pink or 
pure white, 
which give the 
decorative ef- 
fect, are added. 

Figures E 
and P are two 
cut-out stencils 
used in com- 
pleting a neat 
holly wreath, so 



much used during the holiday season by many stores. This 
method, if followed and stencils made in various sizes, large 
and very minute for price tickets, will enable you, either by 
the aid of the stencil brush or an air-brush, to make large 
quantities of cards within a short time. 

Holly Wreaths. 

THE air-brush sprayed over the stencil figure E in a light 
green color gives you the effect shown in illustration No. 
4. The second stencil, F (see third page), placed over No. 4 
and sprayed with a dark green color, producing the effect 
shown in figure No. 'o. and the completed wreath is shown in 
figure C by adding various berries, brush marks for stems and 
high lights in the red berries, finally adding a scarlet bow- 
knot, with flowing ends. 

You will soon learn to make all kinds of stencils, which 
will produce massed colored effects, with wonderful rapidity. 
For instance, if you wish to show a cone-shaped Christmas 
tree on each side of the card, you first cut out a cone-shaped 
opening with the trunk of the tree slightly slanting downward. 
By spraying with a light green on this design on a card on 
both spaces, with the design near the edges, you will have 

the foundation 
of a tree. By 
i tracing your 
cut-out on an- 
other card and 
cutting out only 
openings at va- 
rious intervals, 
none of them 
wider than one- 




96 



FAIRCHILD'S RAPID LETTEREE 



97 



quarter of an inch, beginning 
at the center and slanting 
gradually outward to the edge, 
so that they narrow to an 
eighth inch. You then cut out 
these spaces, and place your 
stencil over the first one, spray- 
ing it in dark green. By remov- 
ing your stencil and filling in 
the trunk with a dark brown 
on one side and gradually shading it to a light brown on the 
other, adding a few brown strokes through the body of the 
tree for branches, you will have an effect that is extremely 
pleasing. You then place your lettering in the space between 
the trees and have an attractive window sign. 

First we show a stencil cut-out, "Holiday Gifts," and the 
last engraving illustrates the same sprayed on a card with an 
air-brush. The 
open spaces are 
afterward filled 
in with a regular 
brush. This sten- 
cil can also be 
used by follow- 
ing the outlines 
with a pointed 
lead pencil and 
then filling in as 
suggested before. 

Brass Stencils. 

Some sten- 
cils for air-brush 
work are made 
of brass, which 
is about one-six- 
teenth of an inch thick. The design, being drawn on thin 
paper, is pasted down and, after being cut with a jig-saw, is 
filed up smoothly and then used in the regular way. 

Lead Stencils. 

Sheet lead which is wide and about 1-16 inch thick can be 
bought in rolls, and with slight pressure flattened out. The 
design is traced through 
a carbon sheet, the sur- 
face of the lead being 
first covered with a thin 
coat of whiting, which 
distinctly shows the let- 
tering and design when 
the tracing paper is re- 
moved. A sharp-pointed, 
angular knife-edge device 





Is then used for cutting out the letters. There are few men 
who can do this work skillfully, leaving perfectly clean-cut 
edges. Such stencils are very valuable where duplication is re- 
quired, and the effect produced looks exactly as though the 
design and letters were produced by first making a line en- 
graving and printing therefrom afterward. 

The most beautiful and intricate designs in stencils are 

made in Japan. 
They are usually 
cut in square, 
measuring 14 by 
18 inches, but 
there is a blank 
border measuring 
2 inches, so that 
the actual layout 
is 12 by 16 
inches. The pa- 
per used is the 
usual dark gray, 
tough, fibrous 
.tind, about as 
thin as business 
letterheads. 

The most 
skilled stencil 
cutters sometimes require an entire week to complete such 
stencils. They are used only for decorative purposes and 
often contain hundreds of grass blades and the white spaces 
between are frequently less than 1-16 of an inch thick. 

An American workman would find it almost impossible to 
cut out or to use such stencils, because the foreign artisan has 
an inherited deftness and lightness of touch which others lack. 





98 



FAIECHILD'S EAPID LETTEEER 




Stenciling 
Fabrics. 

THERE are two 
classes of col- 
ors which are 
mostly used on 
fabrics for sten- 
ciling. What are 
called tapestry 
dyes can be 
bought in all art 
supply stores. A 
very small quan- 
tity of gum mu- 
cilage is added 
to the liquid dye 
in a separate 
shallow vessel 
into which about 
only one -eighth 
of an inch of a 
soft, compact 
round bristle 
brush is dipped. 
The stencil must 
be pinned or held 
down close to the 
fabric, so that it 
does not spread 
underneath, and 
care must be 
taken to wipe off 



the under side of 
the stencil be- 
fore it is again 
placed down. 
Such colors are 
especially desir- 
able for thin and 
all gauzy mate- 
rial, like chiffons, 
veilings, challies 
and white back- 
grounds, because 
they penetrate 
the meshes thor- 
oughly and do 
not stiffen the 
fabrics, which 
should be pressed 
with a hot iron by placing three folds of damp unbleached 
muslin and one dry fold over the color, which makes the 
colors permanent. 

Oil Color and Bronze Stenciling. 

Any oil paint or tapestry die can be thinned with turpen- 
tine and must be mixed according to the absorbent quality and 
thickness of the fabric. Many show windows have backgrounds 
of denim, bleached or unbleached muslin, linen or burlap. Thin 
mixture may be used on all of these, but the brush must be 
carefully dipped, so that the stencil does not blur. A quantity 
of japan or "fixative' may be added, wTiich will hasten the 
drying of the color. All kinds of bronzes may be used on sten- 
cils, but they should be rather thick and worked into the brush 
tip first. Either gum or bronze liquid to mix it may be used. 





Fairchild Company 

PUBLISHERS 
Men's Wear and Chicago Apparel Gazette 

SUBSCRIPTION PRICE, $2 A YEAR 



A FINAL EXPLANATION 

In every business, home, club or cliurch, there are occasions when some kind 
of lettering on a card, tin, wood or muslin is desirable. 

Fairchild's Rapid Letterer is especially valuable for this kind of letter design- 
ing and instruction, which is given in the simplest language. 

The material and manner of mixing and applying it are minutely described. 

The recipes for color mixing and color contrasts are extremely valuable for 
decorating booths, store windows, banquet halls and interiors. 

The department devoted to designing for photo-engraving can be understood 
by any boy or girl, as it is free from all technicalities. Many youngsters with only 
little talent for drawing can quickly take advantage of this instruction. 

FAIRCHILD COMPANY, 

PUBLISHERS. 



99 



100 FAIECHILD'S RAPID LETTEREE 



FAIRCHILD COMPANY 



PUBLISHERS OF 



Men's Wear ^nd Apparel Oazette 

Issued Every Two IVeeks 
In which appear the newest ideas on 

SHOW-CARD LETTERING 



AND 



WINDOW TRIMMING 



Subscription Trice, $2 Ter Year 



TEXT BOOKS 



WINDOW TRIMMING FOR BEGINNERS $\.2^ 

"ADVANCED WINDOW TRIMMING" 2.00 

FAIRCHILD'S CODE for the Men's Wear Trades i.oo 

STORE INTERIORS and EXTERIORS ......... 2.00 



FAIRCHILD COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 

42 East 21st St., NEW YORK 
Lees Building . CHICAGO 



5 1910 



One copy del. to Cat. Div. 



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